Kindness is a language that the deaf can hear and the blind can see. Mark Twain
It has been over six months now since we made our New Years Resolutions. The promises that we make to change things about ourselves. Those changes are rarely made and by this point in the year, most of us have even forgotten what they were!
I do not believe in New Years Resolutions. The gym membership that you forget about after month two. The three books a month you promise yourself you will read, but don't. That glass of wine on a Friday after work that you swear you will cut out (who are you kidding?).
Instead of thinking of ourselves and making promises we cannot keep, why not simply set ourselves a new challenge. Be kinder to others. It isn't hard to do and unlike that gym membership that is still coming out of your bank despite you not setting foot there for months; it will make you feel better.
There is a saying "treat others as you wish to be treated yourself". I believe that the best way to be kind to others and be more selfless is to instead treat people the way you would want a beloved family member to be treated. Pick the favourite person in your family: your mother, your grandpa; your auntie. Think about the way you would wish a stranger to treat them, and act that way.
I have found that treating others as I would want a loved one to be treated has subtly changed the way that I interact with strangers. For example my mum is 76 and sometimes struggles with the high bus step. For this reason I always linger now if I have an elderly person behind me when I get off the bus, just in case they need a hand. Because my mum would never ask for help with that, but she would appreciate it.
Visit your elderly neighbour living alone because you wouldn't want one of your grandparents to be living alone and lonely.
Ask the person upset on the street if they are ok, because you wouldn't want your sister to be upset alone. Sometimes just a simple "Are you ok" showing you care means the world to someone when they are upset.
Carry a spare pound coin in your pocket for that occasional person who has no change in the car park. Let's face it, that has been all of us once.
All of these things take no time or effort, but can mean the world to someone else. Go out into the world and be kinder. It will make your heart happier.
I have found that treating others as I would want a loved one to be treated has subtly changed the way that I interact with strangers. For example my mum is 76 and sometimes struggles with the high bus step. For this reason I always linger now if I have an elderly person behind me when I get off the bus, just in case they need a hand. Because my mum would never ask for help with that, but she would appreciate it.
Visit your elderly neighbour living alone because you wouldn't want one of your grandparents to be living alone and lonely.
Ask the person upset on the street if they are ok, because you wouldn't want your sister to be upset alone. Sometimes just a simple "Are you ok" showing you care means the world to someone when they are upset.
Carry a spare pound coin in your pocket for that occasional person who has no change in the car park. Let's face it, that has been all of us once.
All of these things take no time or effort, but can mean the world to someone else. Go out into the world and be kinder. It will make your heart happier.
