Dec
20

10 Ways to Practice Kindness

Categories:

Kindness

December 20, 2007

There is no beautifier of complexion, or form, or behavior, like the wish to scatter joy and not pain around us. 'Tis good to give a stranger a meal, or a night's lodging. 'Tis better to be hospitable to his good meaning and thought, and give courage to a companion. We must be as courteous to a man as we are to a picture, which we are willing to give the advantage of a good light.
-Ralph Waldo Emerson

Yesterday, I wrote about 7 Reasons to Practice Kindness. Here are 10 ways:

Smile at someone.
Listen.
Think about what you want more than anything, and offer it to someone else.
Volunteer your time.
Focus on others’ strengths and offer compliments and kind words.
Practice patience by allowing someone else get in front of you in a checkout line or in traffic.
When shoveling snow or raking leaves or doing some other yard cleanup, include part of your neighbor’s yard in your work. It’s good exercise, too.
Clean out your basement, attic, closets, storage and/or garage and find valuable things you have not used for a while and give them away.
Give a gift to someone you love when it is not a holiday or birthday.
Give an anonymous gift and revel in the fact that no one knows why you’re smiling.

About the author

Danny

I am Danny Kohn, writer and designer for this site and owner, software engineer and consultant for Inspirations Software Design. My three greatest passions in life are sharing time with my family, software design and sharing inspiration with others. I have the incredible privilege of being able to spend a significant amount of time every day doing each of those three things. I am a single father of Tristen, our 6 year old son. It has been such an incredible joy to watch him grow up and learn so much. Everything he does and says overwhelms me with adoration. We have a wonderful evening ritual of reading books together in a beanbag chair. Nearly every night, we have a laughing attack together. I smile and giggle constantly in his presence and feel truly inspired.

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2 comments

S.S.M. says:

December 23, 2007 at 9:42 pm (UTC -5 )

Reply

These are great ideas! I’m going to step out of selflessness for a moment (pre-new years resolution) and ask you for advice. If you’re willing to share any, I’d be very grateful. If not, I am still grateful that you’ve read this. My problem is I have a very hard time doing numbers 1 and 9 when it comes to my parents. I just can’t bring myself to do it! I’m certain it’s rooted in some deep psychological crisis or maladjustment, but if you have any suggestions for at least helping me smile around my parents, again, I would be grateful.

Thank you, be well.
S.S.M.
Shirley says:

January 7, 2008 at 8:15 pm (UTC -5 )

Reply

#3 is a great one! I’ve only done that once or twice, but if you want to feel good all day, give the gift you want to someone else. :0)