Saturday 8 February 2014

KINDNESS

Kindness is a behaviour which expresses a concern for others, for their well-being and their happiness and which aims to promote the well-being and happiness of others through words and actions.


It doesn't have to take long and it doesn't have to cost much to engage in an act of kindness, to be kind.  Why don't more people do it?  And do it more often? 


Bob KERREY said that, "Unexpected kindness is the most powerful, least costly, and most underrated agent of human change."  He could be right.  Stephen FRY suggested that "The more in the World you encounter kindness... the better the World always is.   And all the big words - Virtue, Justice, Truth - are dwarfed by the greatness of kindness."

World Kindness Day is held on 13 November.  Random acts of kindness or 'RAK' now has its own week.  This year RAK Week will be held from 10-16.02.14 (next week).  During RAK Week, you are encouraged to go above and beyond to make others feel special.  Everyone likes to be made to feel special, don't they? There are a hundred tiny ways that you can make someone feel valued and appreciated.  A thousand little acts that can make someone feel thought about and cared for.  A million tiny ways that you can make someone feel loved.


Why not try any or all of the following:
♥ Call someone
♥ Send a card or a letter
♥ Visit someone
♥ Take someone to the movies
♥ Make them a cup of tea
♥ Bake them a cake
♥ Give someone a complement (but mean it)
♥ Make someone laugh
♥ Give someone a hug
♥ Smile at someone


Perhaps we should all try to be a little kinder.  To make time to demonstrate kindness.  And be kind to everyone, even to those people who don't deserve it, or who deserve it the least, as it could be true that they are the people who need it most.

I am very lucky.  I am the recipient of much kindness.  There are days when I don't know what I have possibly done to deserve such warmth and generosity and affection from my family and especially from my friends.  But I certainly am grateful for it.  There are days when I am aware that I am taking far more than I am giving; when those two little words 'Thank You' do not even begin to express the level of gratitude that I feel towards those people who show concern, who make me feel cared for, and happy and loved.


I know that not everyone is as fortunate as I am; I have people who are prepared to put my needs and feelings as their priority.  Who are prepared to be kind to me.  I am hugely thankful for this.  But it is important not just to promote the well-being and happiness of others, but to be a bit kinder to yourself, promote your own well being and your own happiness.  Yes, be a bit kinder to yourself.  So, take a hug, find what it is that makes you happy, truly makes you happy, and do more of that.

32 comments:

  1. Necessary post about kindness! We are never kind enough and this is a great reminder. Thank you!

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  2. People are kind to you, dear Hanya, and care about you because you do the same to and for them.
    With your wonderful cakes and unexpected gifts and cards you constantly surprise people at how much you think of others and how they might be pleased.
    If only we could all be capable of such warmth and generosity the world would indeed be a better place.

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    1. Love your attitude, you never do things by halves x

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  4. Good Afternoon Han, I think sometimes, our lives are so busy that kindness can be forgotten. I find, when I am out and about walking, if I smile at someone and say either Good Morning or Good Afternoon, they may look gloomy before I speak to them, but nine times out of ten the person will respond to my smile and return a smile, which I am sure brightens their day.
    Best Wishes
    Daphne

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    1. I am sure you are right Daphne. It costs nothing to smile, so I try and remind myself to do it more often. Hx

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  5. Kindness is a gift that enriches the giver and receiver and shouldn't be limited to only a week a year. Everyone should strive to make it a part of their philosophy for life.
    Take care.

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    1. It shouldn't be limited to a particular week. But let's make changes one week at a time. Hx

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  6. Hanya, if the definition of kindness is friendship, generosity and consideration then, on the basis that you get out of life what you put in, you have only been getting from family and friends what you deserve... Mike

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  7. Thank you Hanya for your super article. When my sister in law used to gasp in astonishment at my lack of concern for tidiness, I would state my preference for friendship, honesty and kindness. She never did get it.

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  8. Glad that you enjoyed the post Stephen. Tidiness isn't my priority either x

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  9. Difficult to find new things to say, given the quality of the preceding posts, but I would like to paraphrase Kenn's comment: If only we could all be capable of YOUR warmth and generosity, the world would indeed be a better place. What a gift to the world you are! xx

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    1. Thank You John. I wish I was half as lovely as people believe me to be x

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  10. I am a massive advocate of random acts of kindness - wouldn't it be a better world if more people believed in it too. Good blog :-)

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    1. I remember - you bought me a DUFFFIN - the best RAK. Glad you enjoyed the BLOG x

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  11. So true Hanya! I will try and remember that and try to be kinder x

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    1. Thank You for leaving a comment on my BLOG. x

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  12. Thank you for being such a light of kindness in our world!!

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  13. What a lovely thihnk to say. Thank You x

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  14. For many people kindness is simply the absence of ill-will, for a few it’s the presence of real and active compassion and care. If most lie somewhere between the two for most of the time, a sort of benign neglect, then perhaps this is the least worst option but admittedly not the best, and perhaps rightly so. A world of saints would be very kind but perhaps tiresome because it becomes a commonplace. In reality I don’t think there’s much danger of that happening which is why RAK week is such a good idea.

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    1. Thank You for such a considered response. I like the thought that "A world of saints would be very kind but perhaps tiresome because it becomes a commonplace" x

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  15. Oh no, I should have read this earlier in the week - I've been being a bitch all week! ;) On a serious note, Han, you are very good at being kind to others but not always to yourself. You should concentrate on doing some RAK to YOURSELF - ie: forgiving yourself for struggling sometimes, accepting yourself and not comparing yourself to others and telling yourself you don't "measure up". Oh - and buy yourself a Malteaster bunny!!!
    G xXx

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  16. Beautifully put. I think we should all try and do at least three things on your list each week. I know when someone is kind to me, I feel as though I don't deserve it. But I know others deserve kindness to be given to them. Lovely blog! x

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  17. Thank You. Glad that you enjoy it. We all deserve kindness. Tough lesson to learn. Spread the love x

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  18. You have done more than a couple of those things in your list for Sarah and me and that's why we luv ya. x

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  19. I think that half the pleasure is in displaying kindness and letting people know that they are loved. If that love is returned, that is obviously the best feeling x

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  20. I love this. I try to be kind and let the people around me know I appreciate them as often as possible, time and rugrats allowing! You are obviously a very kind person too H, that is clear, even having not seen you for over 20 years (yikes!)
    I used to go out with a guy who was a real rough sort. He was tattooed badly EVERYWHERE!!! And he had a short temper, would regularly get into bar fights for the most stupid reasons. No one really understood what I saw in him. His simple little motto in life was "it's nice to be nice". Apart from drunken fighting he was an extremely kind, thoughtful guy. To me, his mum, his sisters, his nieces and nephews, etc. I love that in a person. Being 'nice' is a great attribute I believe :)

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  21. Thanks Deb. It is the small gestures, the 'nice' things in life which makes it all seem so much more worthwhile x

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