Why It’s Cool to Be Kind

By Anna Valdez
Blog Content Contributor

Consider a time when someone was kind to you. Maybe you were having a lousy day and a friend (or even a stranger) went out of their way to be a friend to you when you needed it most. It must have been heartwarming to know a person could be so friendly and considerate without asking for anything in return.

Kindness is a gift that should be shared with others, especially with all the chaos happening in the world today. A simple act of kindness, whether it’s a compliment or offering a helping hand to a person in need, goes a long way. Sometimes we can get caught up in our own problems that we become consumed by the negative feelings that come with it. This often leads to a build-up of negativity in our hearts, something that the world does not need more of.

It is important to remember not to let yourself do things out of kindness for the sake of receiving some benefit in return. The whole purpose of doing something “out of kindness” is through your own desire to make someone happy or feel loved. When it gets to the point where you expect others to do nice things for you because you were being a good person to them, it completely goes against what being kind is all about. Kindness should never be done out of selfishness.

While being kind to others is a beautiful thing, you should also strive to be kind to yourself. We all have those days where we can be hard on ourselves. However, consider this: if you were beating yourself up over a low quiz grade, would you do the same to a friend who came to you with the same problem? Chances are your answer would be no. So why is it difficult to be kind and sympathetic with our friends and not with ourselves? Take the time to think about your greatest qualities and strengths and don’t undermine yourself just because your weaknesses could use some work. Be kind to yourself as you would to your loved ones.

Being a genuinely kind person feels a lot like living a life without a weight on your shoulders. A life of love and kindness is a lot more freeing than having hate and negativity weigh you down. As silly as it sounds, you can truly feel the difference that comes with letting negative feelings go. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t let yourself feel or express frustration, sadness and so on. The point of kindness is to make someone feel special and in hopes that they, too, may extend love and positivity to somebody else. Kindness has the power to change lives and the world. If you’re skeptical, try being kind to someone today and find out for yourself!

Featured photo by Anna Valdez.