Kindness is the quality of being friendly, generous and considerate; but why is it so important? Positivity and kindness have also been shown to trigger upward spirals of improvement, as well as generating better social interactions and relationships with those around you (Vasilko and Stewart, 2020). According to psychologists John and Julie Gottman, kindness is the most important ingredient in building a healthy and lasting marriage. In addition to helping someone else, you may well find that you are helping yourself; studies have shown that acts of kindness can improve wellbeing (Hui et al., 2020) and even reduce depression (Mongrain et al., 2018).
At RubyDuke, we have been so fortunate to work with some incredible organisations where kindness, compassion and a desire to support others is at the heart of what they do. Thames Hospice is an incredible organisation that we have been lucky enough to work with; the level of care they offer to patients, carers and their families is truly humbling. The Brett Foundation is another wonderful charity we’re proud to partner with. They offer support to anyone who might need it – in particular those who are homeless, elderly or lonely; families living in poverty; and those who have fallen on hard times. The way in which these organisations operate, with such a deep level of kindness, is absolutely awe-inspiring.
There are so many different ways to be kind, and there’s something to suit everyone, regardless of time commitments or budget. Whilst being kind to others is what World Kindness Day is all about, we all need to be kind to ourselves too, especially with lockdown 2.0 taking its toll. Instead of seeing it as a trait that you may have been born with or without, think of kindness as a muscle; the more you use it, the stronger it will get!