Random Acts of Kindness
One of the greatest gifts you can give to others and yourself is the act of kindness. In this post, we’ll explore the benefits and power of doing a random act of kindness for yourself or another person, emphasizing why it’s important and effective to do so. The key thing that makes this such a powerful force for good in and outside ourselves is that it's not about anything in particular – it's not about buying someone else flowers or taking care of their kids for an afternoon. It's about doing what feels right at the time without expecting any return on investment whatsoever – just with the knowledge that, deep down, everyone wants to be loved and appreciated by others.
"I have experienced the greatest joy that there is in the world, and the greatest sadness that there is in the world. The only way to have peace is to remove all the things which disturb you, and then you will know peace." - Albert Einstein
The benefits of doing a random act of kindness may be varied, but they are profound. Here are some common ones:
1. It's free...as in free!
You don't have to buy anything or go anywhere - you're not doing anything that costs you anything. It's self-administered and self-motivated - such a simple idea, yet so effective.
2. It's altruistic...as in, you're not even getting anything in return!
A random act of kindness is an action that doesn't require any expectation except that the receiver be happy. You're not expecting any appreciation - you're simply doing something nice. This is one of the greatest gifts we can give to others and to ourselves out of pure gratitude and love.
3. It's simple...as in easy!
Random acts of kindness are self-administered and self-motivated, so they're quick and easy to do. It can also be quite fun when you find the right person. There are lots of overused, overdone, and short-cut ways to get things done in life these days - life isn't just about getting "stuff" accomplished. There's a lot of joy and happiness to be found in simple acts like those we'll talk about here.
4. It's meaningful...as in, it can really mean something to others!
There are so many people out there who are longing for appreciation and love - there is a hole inside themselves that needs to be filled. Random acts of kindness can fill that need. There's nothing like the feeling of being appreciated - take ten minutes and hug someone today!
5. It's always a good idea...as in, it never hurts!
Whether you're performing an act of kindness or receiving one, you're going to get something positive out of the encounter. It's never a bad thing to have more kindness in the world - we all want it and deserve it. I wrote an article recently on the importance of kindness toward others and myself in our everyday lives. You can read it here.
6. It promotes happiness...as in, you can't go wrong there!
Growing up, I was given to understand that happiness was optional - that it wasn't something that was guaranteed for everybody. Well, I've come to find out that happiness is about being grateful for what you have and being kind to others without expecting anything in return - these things are universally good no matter who you are or where you're from. Some may seem like they're not capable of doing something kind, but everyone has the capacity inside of them to be generous and happy!
7. It never gets old...as in, it never gets old!
There's nothing like the feeling of doing a kind thing for someone else. It's very fulfilling and exciting - you feel good about yourself for a minute and that person feels good too. I can't tell you how many times I've done an act of kindness for another person or even myself and been so excited at the end of it. You'll have to try it yourself!
8. It creates positive momentum...as in, there's no better way to get started!
To keep yourself motivated in life and make more progress, we need to fuel our motivation with positive momentum - things that will continually build us up. Random acts of kindness create positive momentum like nothing else I can think of. Each time you do one for yourself or another person, you're becoming more compassionate, more kind, and more loving toward others in general. You're simply building a huge amount of positive momentum that will help you reach your goals.
"The secret to getting what you want is to want what you already have." - Jim Rohn
9. It keeps your life balanced...as in, it's good for you!
You can't find and maintain a proper balance in life without incorporating random acts of kindness into your life. It's not merely about the positive momentum and feeling good about yourself - it's also very healthy for you mentally and emotionally. As we age, we tend to move away from the things that are important to us. We quit our relationships with family members, friends and even ourselves. We shut out our friends, block our families on Facebook, and ignore those who love us most. We've been disconnected from our true selves and isolated ourselves from the world. We may be able to maintain an artificial appearance of being happy, but the reality is that we're not even close to being happy at all. We just don't connect with the things that matter most to us.
"As you pursue happiness, do so with all your heart. Be aware that life is a game of chance, and if you have played your cards well, you will win. Be aware that if you have played your cards poorly, you will lose. Thus, it is better to play a thorough game than a hasty one, and since it is impossible to have everything in this world, if you are able to do without anything, then do without." - Sun Tzu
We must live every day with all we have. We must take care of our bodies and our minds so that they can stay strong and in good health. If we allow our lives to become unhealthy or out-of-balance by not taking care of the things in life that matter most to us, we will lose those things eventually - we cannot have everything.
Conclusion
When we think about how we live our lives, there are a lot of things that we obsess about. It's not that the things that matter to us are not important - it's just that we tend to make a big deal about them and spend a lot of time worrying about them. We need to be able to walk away from all of this anxiety and clutter in our minds and just let go.
We need to make some changes in our lives so they're more meaningful and significant...and I know exactly how to help you do this! Once you learn what the most important life lessons are, it will be easy for you to make the right choices every day.