So, Why Is Kindness Important In Living A Good Life
Kindness is one of the most important things in the world. It is good for everyone and everything. Kindness can be given through a compliment, a smile, or just being there for someone when they need it.
Kindness is important because it helps to build relationships with other people and helps people to feel better about themselves. People who are kind often have more friends, better relationships with their parents, and are more successful in their careers than those who are not kind.
If you need to boost a part of your life to make your relationships easier, you will find out why kindness is important.
“Constant kindness can accomplish as much as the sun making ice melt. Kindness causes misunderstandings, mistrust and hostility to evaporate.” Albert Schweitzer
Are We Missing Sufficient Kindness In The World Today?
Looking around us many people can see that kindness seems to be missing in today’s society. People are more connected to their devices than to what is happening around them. They are self-absorbed. Kindness is oftentimes the last thing they think about.
Without this trait, our world would be filled with strife, discontent, and anger. We’d see relationships fall apart or never start, countries disintegrate into constant war, and our world completely changed.
According to Dr. John and Julie Gottman – founders of the Gottman Institute, which studies relationships – every successful relationship is, in the end, supported by kindness. What’s more, they claim the most important time you should be kind is during some type of conflict, such as when you are arguing with a partner and yet, this is the hardest time for most people to be kind.
What Does This Act Of Caring About Others Show
“Kindness is about showing empathy, acceptance, and tolerance,” explains Lawrence Stoyanowski, a Vancouver-based therapist. “It’s about being able to scan your partner for things to appreciate rather than criticize.” Stoyanowski follows the principles set out by the Gottman Institute.
Why This Gentleness Is Important
As children and even as adults, we look for kindness from our family and friends. We give and receive kindness every day in some form.
Giving warmth to others moves us. We remember what past concerns and gentleness did for and by us. Acts of tenderness to other people nourish, heal, strengthen, and uplift us.
Many studies have shown that kindness though, is not only a good moral value but it is good for you. It benefits your brain, your body, and your emotions in many ways. It is a foundation for a meaningful life.
What Happens When We Forget About Being Kind
We are constantly told to treat others with kindness. We are taught to be kinder than the other person, but it is not always easy. The question that should be asked is, “Why do we need to be kind?”
Our ultimate goal for most accomplishments in life is to find a way to get people to admire who we are, and react in a positive way to what we have to share. It is evident that our emotions play a large role in how people judge our demeanor. If we are always adamant about everything we speak, teach, and pursue our goals in life, people will begin to see us as lacking the quality of persuasion.
Kindness is a virtue that has been lost in the world. The truth of the matter is people want to be treated kindly, and they will respond by being kind in return. Kindness can manifest itself in many ways: it can be a smile or a compliment or even just an act of service.
Here are 6 reasons why kindness is so important.
- Kindness makes us happier. When we perform random acts of kindness, we activate areas of pleasure, social connection, and trust in our brains.
- It creates a positive loop in our minds. Being considerate of others makes you happier and happiness makes you kinder. When you are happy, you are more likely to feel giving and kind towards others.
- Kindness can create social connections and bonding. As humans, we’re preprogrammed to be a part of a group. Being a part of a group, a social connection of some type enhances our physical performance and boosts mental clarity. Being kind allows us to be a part of a group.
- Where there are good deeds shown it will help with the healing process. When healthcare is delivered with thoughtfulness it can hasten the healing process, thereby shortening hospital stays. Kinder care leads to a range of outcomes including reduced pain, lowered blood pressure, and less anxiety for the patient and caregivers.
- Kindness can decrease or help prevent diseases. Kindness lowers our stress and anxiety levels and decreases pain because of the endorphins and feel-good hormones released at the time of the act.
Positive emotions from kindness boost your vagus nerve which regulates blood sugar. This helps the body prevent diabetes, strokes, and heart disease.
- Altruism has been shown to stimulate the reward area of our brain. Studies suggest that we get high on being kind.
No matter how inconsequential an act of kindness might be, it is good for you. Without kindness, life would be lonely, filled with anger and desolation, disease and stress. But when kindness is both given and received with no expectations in return, our lives are calmer and happier and we build meaningful connections with others.
A good read: The Importance of Kindness
