“Continual kindness can go a long way. Just as the sun melts the ice, kindness dissolves misunderstandings, distrust and hostility.”
Albert Schweitzer
“A single act of kindness sends out roots in all directions, and the roots spring up and form new trees.”
Amelia Earhart
A very simple way to spread more happiness in your own little world is through kindness. It is often an easy and quick thing you can do in your daily life.
But sometimes we forget. Or you no longer know how it can help us all.
Three things I like to keep in mind that help me be a kinder person are:
- I get what I give. Yes, some people will be ungrateful and miserable and won’t answer no matter what you do. But over time, most people will treat you the way you treat them.
- By being kinder to others, I am likely to be kinder to myself. It may sound a bit strange, but my experience is that if I do so, I am friendlier to others my self-esteem goes up.
- It creates a happier place to live in. Being kinder just makes my own little world a nicer and happier place to live in.
So how can you start spreading kindness and happiness in your daily life?
Here are 15 easy ways to do this.
Choose one that suits you and get started today.
1. Express your gratitude.
Think about what you can be grateful for about someone in your life.
Maybe he is a good listener, that he often comes to help quickly or that he always adds nice songs to a Spotify playlist. Or simply that he held the door for you.
Then express that gratitude in a simple “thank you!” or in a sincere sentence or two.
2. Replace the judgments.
Nobody likes to be judged. And the more you judge other people, the more you tend to judge yourself.
So despite the temporary benefit you get from the judgments, it is not a good or smart long-term habit.
When you feel the urge to judge, ask yourself: What can I think or do in this situation instead?
3. Replace the non-constructive criticism.
Try encouragement instead of over-criticism. It helps people to both increase their self-confidence and do their work better.
And it will make things more fun and lighthearted in the long run.
4. Put yourself in the other person’s shoes.
It’s quite easy to resort to unkindness when you only see things from your perspective.
Two questions that help me see and better understand other points of view are:
- How would I think and feel if I were in his or her shoes?
- What parts of this person can I see in myself?
5. Think about how people’s kindness made you feel.
Just sit for a few minutes and try to remember one or a few times when the kindness of other people has really touched you and helped you.
Then think about how you can do the exact same things for someone in your life.
6. Be kind to something you often take for granted.
It’s easy to remember and be motivated to express kindness when someone is going through a hard time or has just completed an important project.
But also don’t forget to express kindness and encouragement for the way someone continues to put so much love into the dinners you eat. Or because they are on time every day, do their work well and meet deadlines.
7. Hide a surprising and friendly note.
Leave a small note with a loving or encouraging phrase in your spouse or child’s lunchbox, hat, teapot, or book that he or she is currently reading.
That minute of your time will bring a smile to her face and joy and motivation to her heart.
8. Just be there.
Listen – without thinking about anything else – when someone needs to vent.
Just be fully there with your attention.
Or have a conversation and help someone find their way out of fear and towards a more constructive and grounded perspective.
9. Also remember the small acts of kindness.
Have someone come into your lane while driving. Let someone jump in line for you if they are really in a hurry.
Hold the door for someone or ask if they need help if you see them with a card and a confused look.
10. Give someone an uplifting gift.
Someone in your life may be going through a hard time right now. Send him or her an inspiring book or film.
Or just send an email with a link to something inspiring or funny you found, like a blog, podcast or a funny.
11. Help someone practically.
Give them a helping hand with moving or with making dinner or arranging a party.
If they need information, help by Googling or asking knowledgeable people you know.
12. Help the people in your life see how they are making a difference in their lives.
When you talk to someone about his or her day or what’s been happening lately, make sure to point out how he or she has also spread kindness and happiness.
People are often unaware of the positive things they do or downplay them in their own minds.
So help them see themselves in a more positive light and improve their self-esteem.
13. Remember the three reasons for kindness at the beginning of this article.
It will help you be kinder, even if you don’t always feel like it.
If you want, you can write those reasons on a piece of paper and put that note where you can see it every day.
14. Pay it forward.
When someone does something nice for you – no matter how big or small – try to reward it by being nice to someone else as quickly as possible.
Then you will of course also treat other people more kindly. It really is a win-win habit.
A simple way to become kinder to yourself is to write down in a journal every night three things you appreciate about yourself and what you did that day.