Turn Up Kindness, The World Has Enough Hate.

A little Act Of Kindness Goes A Long Way

A few weeks ago I was crossing the busy roads in the city on my way to work.  I am terrible at crossing roads, I can literally spend 5 minutes waiting for the roads to clear, that’s a story for another day. I was stunned by the random act of kindness from the lady who allowed me the right of way even though I didn’t deserve it. We shared a smile with this stranger as an act of gratitude from my end. I was touched by how she noticed  I was having challenges going to the other side of the road.  Receiving acts of kindness in a time when everyone is self-consumed is now a surprise. How about we take the initiative to leave home with an agenda to make someone else smile? Even if you don’t have the opportunity to leave your home, be intentional about making the people around you smile. That small act of kindness might be a ray of hope to the next person, it could ignite a positive outlook on one’s thought process just by knowing that good still exists.

Walk Slowly Through The Crowds

One way to help you amplify your kindness toward others is by walking slowly through the crowds. This a lesson John Maxwell learned from his father at a very young age. To walk slowly through the crowd simply means to pay attention to the people around you instead of being in such a hurry that your eyes can’t even focus on the next person. Walking slowly in the crowd requires one to practice selflessness. Being selfless does not mean not being able to set boundaries and use the word no. Be weary of not falling into the trap of toxic self-love that blinds one’s eyes to practicing kindness. In a large crowd, choose to make at least 5 people happy, that’s walking slowly through the crowds. Remember just because no one else cares doesn’t mean you shouldn’t.

Activating Kindness When You Are Wronged.

The world has already fallen short of acts of kindness but one of the hardest things to do is show up with kindness when you have been wronged. It’s easy to reciprocate good deeds but there is more power and grace to be kind when people ill-treat you. Showing kindness under these circumstances can be considered a sign of weakness but it is strength because it requires vulnerability and it takes courage to be vulnerable.

Practical Steps To Turn Your Kindness Up A Notch

Work commutes are one of the toughest for me, nevertheless I mostly use this time to observe people. Sometimes I share some observations with my mum through voice memos and she is sure to remind me to say a little prayer for strangers. One of the things that I noticed is that the elevator rides are the weirdest, I mean people don’t greet each other anymore. Change starts with one individual right? I have made it a point to intentionally greet anyone I share the elevator with and sometimes I see how it puts a smile on people’s faces.

Here are some practical steps to help you show up with a little extra dose of kindness.

1. Be generous with compliments
2. Send handwritten notes
3. Allow someone to go ahead of you in a line
4. Be a listening ear
5. Say Thank you and Am Sorry
6. Treat service providers with empathy
7. Show your teeth more often ( SMILE)
8. Give yourself grace
9. Live with an open heart and listen with curiosity.

As part of becoming the best version of you, be the one that amplifies kindness in a world where kindness is slowly fading away and people are becoming more and more selfish.

tanyafungai