5 Ways to Practice Kindness Everyday

In honour of World Kindness Day, I've been contemplating what kindness looks like and how can we bring more of it into our day to day.

As I'm sure you know from experience, being kind benefits not only the receiver, but you too as the giver. And when we show kindness to others, we often elicit a kind response in return; our behaviour sets off a positive feedback loop.

Want to be a little more kind? Here are 5 things you can consider trying this week.

1. Share compliments, positive feedback and gratitude with those around you.

Think about how nice it is to receive a heartfelt thank you or a genuine complement from someone else. It might be easier to keep these things to yourself and it may feel awkward sharing at first, but you will both reap the benefits and feel good afterwards.

2. Put yourself in other people's shoes

Hold the train doors open for the person you see running towards them. Say hello to your bus driver when you step on the bus. Ask the person who pours your coffee how their weekend was. On the other hand, when it comes to arguments and confrontation, remember that everyone else is battling their own struggles and doing the best they can with what they have available to them. Empathy will go a long way for your relationships and as a result your overall happiness.

3. Practice responding over reacting

Consider what you say before you say it, especially in situations that may irritate you. Before speaking rashly out of emotion, think through your response and ask yourself whether it is conducive to the resolution you'd like to achieve. The result? Expect to find yourself in fewer arguments, improving your relationships and boosting your mood at the same time.

4. Be curious about others and ask questions

Asking questions and showing genuine interest in others is an act of kindness. Not only do you make them feel seen, but your questions create possibilities for you to relate to them on a deeper level.

5. Practice active listening and give others your full attention.

Many of us are multitaskers, plugged into multiple devices and projects at a time. As a result, we may not always give others our full attention - this means that we may not only miss things, but we send them the message that what they have to say is not important. By simply being present, we show others that we value them - essential for happy, healthy relationships.

Would you add anything else to the list? Drop a comment and let me know!