Simple and natural ways to be kind

How to be kind to others

To achieve the goal of kindness, the sooner you start, the sooner you'll get the right results. Here's how. ten intermediate stages, all to be touched, one by one.

• Open with others

The initial approach, even with a stranger, should be inspired from the very first moment by the language of kindness. Greeting (remembering the person's name is a tangible sign of our attention), to thank (thank you is a key word in the dictionary of kindness) and to smile (an empathic gesture, which translates into a search for sharing moods).

• Diversity is wealth

Single-track thinking has never benefited individuals, populations, or humanity as a whole. Diversity of opinions and religious, political, and social beliefs must be accepted and considered a resource, not a problem. Not to mention, of course, differences in race, economic status, and sexual orientation. Diversity doesn't prevent us from having opinions that go against the grain and defending them, but always with an open mind and a willingness to change our minds. Only fools fail to do so, and they squander the richness of diversity.

• No aggression

We can be strong, even harshly, if necessary, without crossing the line into aggression. Discourtesies are a pure waste, like resentment: energies that evaporate, and put us in irreversible conflict with others. If we must defend ourselves, let's do it with temperance, Manners, and the strength of convictions. All these are ways that lead to kindness.

How do you become a kind person?

To become a kind person, you need to have behaviors based on the assumption of living well with others, also to avoid ending up in the quicksand of solitude. Hence some attitudes.

• Listening and patience

Plutarch said: It's no coincidence that we have two ears and one mouth. We must speak less and listen more. Always, even when it comes to words we don't agree with. As for the patienceIt's a strategic method of kind people. They know how to take the time necessary to achieve their goals.

• Giving credit to others

Without hypocrisy, with lightness And always with a smile of satisfaction, a person becomes kind when they can acknowledge the merits of others, without feeling inferior. Don't be stingy with compliments, in this case, and also be willing to listen to what the person you're giving credit to has to say.

• Communicate without jealousy

Don't wallow in your knowledge: spread it freely. Don't be jealous of your knowledge, and always foster your curiosity: it's a driving force of life that, among other things, helps keep your mind fresh and sharp. Communicate, share, and pass on.

Who is a kind person?

A kind person is lovable, and has a very high civic senseHe feels a responsibility to protect and not waste the beauty that surrounds us, and he acts accordingly. Completely naturally.

• Protecting the Planet

This seems like a concept too broad and abstract. On the contrary, you can't be kind without cultivating this true life commandment every day, even with the simplest gestures. How does it translate into practice? Don't pollute, don't litter, reduce waste. And remember, whenever possible, the three Rs: Recycle, Reuse, and Repair.

• Respect animals and plants

Another fundamental aspect, tied to sustainability, is kindness. Those who are kind are able to demonstrate it not only towards others, but also in how they treat animals, care for plants, or cultivate a garden. You don't have to be a green thumb to respect nature. Just as you don't have to be a champion of the animal rights club to avoid mistreating animals.

How to show kindness

For show kindness Simple, everyday, and automatic gestures can suffice. On the bus, a polite person doesn't forget to give way to a woman or an elderly person. The same goes for when walking through a door.

• Sharing the wealth

A kind and wealthy person never forgets to share their wealth and make it available to others. Enjoying your money alone, among other things, is a very sad and counterproductive thing to do. On the contrary, seeing others happy with what we share with them makes us happy too. Kindness always has a contagious effect.

• Cultivate friends

Those who are kind by nature know well how much a friendship is worth and how much it should be cultivated. With continuity and humilityBy making time for others, not always rushing when we have the opportunity to spend time with friends. By listening to them. And never expecting anything in return.

How to Learn to Be Kind

Kindness is also learned through basic, everyday behaviors, which, once they become part of our lifestyles, become virtually automatic.

• Let's start with self-kindness. Being kind to yourself is a good start for becoming kind to others. And it's also a language, a posture, that after experimenting with yourself, extends to others as well.
• We use the weapon of lightness When we receive a trivial slight. Not out of do-goodism, but out of a sense of reality: it can happen, and there's no point in dramatizing it. This too is a kind gesture, very useful for not damaging human relationships.
• Let's look at others, let's raise our eyes, let's not live closed in our self-referential narcissismAnd let's always look for kind gestures and words towards others, especially if they are in difficulty.
• Every morning we look at our life with the glass half full method, we push the accelerator on the optimism of the will and let's put a stop to the pessimism of intelligence.
• We use generously, without constipation, kind words, such as thank you, please, permission, Excuse me.
• If we can, let's try to be of service to others. Ultimately, it costs nothing, and everything will come back to us.
• We offer our availability, without expecting anything in return. Generosity is a free gift, which does not imply gratitude.
• Let's not spend too much time feeling sorry for ourselves, and let's face it: painful and difficult moments are common human experiences. No one has the exclusive right to them.

Words to be kind

The vocabulary of kindness has its key words. Those we can use abundantly and whenever circumstances require it. Which are the most important? First of all, thank you, you're welcome, and sorry. Don't forget the last one: we always struggle to pronounce it. Then there are... How are you? e Can I help you? They show signs of attentiveness and availability. And again: when we ask for something, and we want to do so politely, let's not forget to preface our request with a simple diptych: Please.

Read also:

• Optimism for a healthier and much longer life. Those who think positively easily live past 85.
• Fragility, the strength of a virtue we hide. Let's not waste it, and try to share it.
• Temperance helps us to do everything in moderation. To not waste our desires and pleasures.