Keep Kind Intentions

Doing is a quantum leap from imagining.
- Barbara Sher

Kindness is both an attitude and a verb. To be kind denotes a general quality of personality, but the definition of kindness is also linked to action and deeds.

Our kind intentions radiate outwards and have an impact that stretches far beyond what our senses may confirm. But the actual doing of kindness is even more impactful.

Don’t just imagine kindness, do it!

There is no set recipe for doing kind deeds, as the activation of kindness is highly situational and “in the moment”. Instead, here are some thoughts on how you can practice kindness so you are ready for doing kindness when the time comes.

1). Think Ahead
Consideration is a close cousin of kindness. Sometimes, just a few seconds of forethought can pave the way for deeply appreciated kind deeds. Order the flowers, hold the door, bring the extra umbrella, save the seat - the list is really endless, but the principle is the same - a moment of kind planning in advance yields outsized returns down the road.

2). You Have the Time for Kindness
We are all guilty of stream-rolling through our day simply because there is so much to do. However, this type of schedule mania often prevents us from taking the extra moments to listen to a friend or colleague or family member who might need just a small but important piece of our attention. Control your time so that you can dispense kindness. This approach is not a luxury for the rich, but quite the opposite - a kindness centered time management system will deliver riches back into your life in countless ways.

3). Kindness is Not Cruel, But Often Courageous
There is the old song, “you’ve got to be cruel to be kind”. A catchy tune for sure, but it might ring truer, as “sometimes you’ve got to be courageous to be kind”. In other words, don’t confuse lack of confrontation or lack of clear feedback for kindness. However, delivering this type of kindness takes practice and self control, because it’s so easy to slip into unkind and angry language once we start down the path of criticism. Experiment with delivering small doses of “kind feedback”, or indirect references and see if people get the message.

Practice kindness - as in real practice - by planning ahead with consideration, keeping your schedule flexible, and learning to deliver “kind feedback”. These simple drills alone will make you an elite doer of kindness in today’s world.