Kindness- Why It’s More Important Than Ever

In this world, which is full of hatred and impudence, kindness is the knight in shining armour which is hoped to save the world from getting overpowered by hatred, sorrow, and such negative emotions.

But we often misunderstand the power of kindness as a weakness, whereas in reality, being kind and considerate is one of the bravest acts ever.

Let us tell you why kindness is more important than ever and why it is nowhere near a vulnerability.

What does it mean to be kind? 

Kindness is one such behaviour, or an expression of emotion, which is that of generosity, politeness, consideration, and a helpful attitude in general.

To sum it up, it refers to the ability to be concerned and helpful towards others without expecting anything in return, an act of selflessness perhaps.

The necessity of kindness – Why it is needed now than ever?

Being kind should not be used as an accessory, rather, it should be an in-built behaviour type, just like a reflex. But because it is not, there is all the more reason to change it into a permanent expression, and we must try the best we can, to change this fact about ourselves as well as about the others around us.

• Why be kind at all?
• If the question “what do I get in return?” arises in your mind, then the answer to that is peace. The simple act of being kind tends to bring mental peace and an enriched sense of self-esteem.
• Being kind to others is not just a one-way path, for the way it makes the other person happy, it will make you feel good too. Even if you do not get any praise or reward in return, you will feel good just for being able to make someone else feel good and warm or just for making their day better.
• It also multiplies the sense of optimism and teaches one to instil a positive attitude within oneself and towards the world in general.
• Being kind installs feelings of belongingness and self-worth, thereby improving one’s outlook not only towards him/herself but towards other people as well.

The effect of kindness in relation to a community

• In a general sense, the act of kindness tends to enhance the environment of a place, be it your school, workplace or any other collective or personal space.
• Kindness tends to bind a community in a greater way by establishing important feelings of gratitude, respect, and compassion.
• It connects people on a much deeper and genuine level.

Spreading the medicinal effect of kindness

• If you wish to see change around you, it is important to start from yourself first.
• Practising what you preach, i.e., following the path of being a better person by being more kind and more compassionate, you would be setting an example for others too, thereby encouraging them to do the same.
• Always remember that kids tend to imitate those whom they consider their role models and that is also another important reason as to why one should be kind in their daily lives.
• Please do it for yourself. Although it is important to set an example, it is also necessary to want to indulge in the act of kindness by yourself and for yourself before anybody else.

How would you feel if someone is kind to you? It could be the simplest of all gestures, yet you would feel nice. Precisely, being kind to someone else is bound to make you feel just as good as you would if you were on the receiving end.

How to be kind?

One does not necessarily have to carry out a grand gesture in order to be kind or good to someone. Certain simple acts of kindness are bound to do the trick too! Here is a list of small yet highly effective kind deeds that you could commence with:

• If you are having lunch/dinner at a restaurant, instead of wasting food, you could pack some and give it to those in need on your way back home.
• Help your mother/father by dividing work and reducing their stress.
• Donate your old clothes, toys, books, and other such things to a local charity or an organisation.
• Make a small donation to an animal shelter or an NGO.
• Offer to help your neighbour! It could be anything like helping them with chores such as clearing out their backyard or even cooking. This would also give you time to bond with them, and it could turn out to be a fun time for all you know.
• Offer to help your classmate in catching up or with studies in general if they need it or have missed lectures. You could offer them your notes, keep them updated with all the details and information or simply help them out in studying if you are a good scorer on a particular subject.
• Feed a street dog or cat.
• Develop a habit of paying tips to waiters, drivers, the food delivery guy, etc.
• Appreciate a stranger. Don’t underestimate the power of kind words, for some simple words could make your whole day!

Don’t forget to be kind to yourself!

Yes, you did a great job by being kind to a stranger or by feeding that stray dog and helping him out, but were you kind to yourself today?

Amidst our busy lives, we often tend to forget to be kind and soft to ourselves. But it is of utter importance to remember that as an individual self, you deserve a break and some kindness and appreciation too. After all, you are a human too.

Everyone struggles, has ups and downs, works hard, and faces hurdles in their lives. And that is exactly why you not only need to be good to other people, but to yourself too!

One of the main and simplest reasons as to why we tend to be kind to people is because we never know what someone is going through and carrying out an act of kindness is tend to bring something good out of it. Similarly, when it comes to yourself, you already know what you are going through and how it affects you. That is all the more reasons to be kind to yourself.

This is also more likely to raise a sense of hope in an individual and make their lives comparatively better. So, don’t ever forget to be kind to yourself too!

Conclusion

An act of kindness holds power like no other gesture or behaviour. This is because it takes up a lot of your energy to be hateful and negative, and even after so much of your energy is wasted, the outcome is seldom good or useful. Being kind, on the other hand, costs absolutely nothing and is incredibly simple. And on top of that, it makes a huge difference and radiates positivity, even if you do the bare minimum.

Remember, it costs everything to be hateful, but nothing to be kind and good. And in a world filled with war, fights and horror, kindness is indeed needed the most. And to fulfil this vision of the world as a better place, start with this small yet increasingly valuable change today!

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Co-author:  Khushi Shah 

Khushi has just passed her school and is now studying at PDPU. Apart from writing, she likes to sketch and dance. She also has other blogs where she posts proses and poetry.