Let's Show Kindness More For The Good Of Our Society.
Hello everyone and welcome to my blog again. It's been an amazing two weeks of kindness talks and acts courtesy of the #kindness / #dreemport collaboration. And this third week which is the last of the challenge, we delve into Overcoming barriers to kindness
We all believe that if more people can commit themselves to showing even the least act of kindness like a kind word, compliment or even a smile, it will surely create a considerable level of positive impact in the society.
But there are times when one may encounter challenges while trying to show kindness and this can be so discouraging. Some of these challenges may include;
Our busy schedule. Due to the so many engagements we have to meet up on a daily basis, we may feel like we do not have enough time to stop and show acts of kindness.
Another one is that we may not really know how to show kindness in a way that is meaningful to the other person, like doing what they exactly need or want.
Lack of awareness. Many people do not even realize how important kindness is or how easy it can be to show them.
The fear of being rejected or making mistakes when we try to show kindness can also be a discouraging factor.
Imagine if you offer to help someone carry their bags across the road and the person turns you down, I'm sure you will feel bad and may decide not to go further with showing kindness, right?.
But hey you shouldn't feel that way, just brush it off and move on to the next person and I tell you, you will be appreciated.
Apart from personal barriers, societal norms and expectations can impact people's ability to practice kindness in so many ways. Let's see how;
A society that often focuses on instant gratification and short-term results can make it hard to show kindness. This is because such kindness may not have an immediate, tangible payoff and this can make the person showing the kindness feel like their efforts aren't worth it since there's no immediate benefit to be seen.
If a society values individualism and self-interest over altruism and helping others, this can be a barrier to finding the motivation to show kindness.
Going further, a society or culture that values competition and status over collaboration and community can make showing kindness seem like it's for the weak or a waste of time and resources.
Noting these barriers, it's important to find a way to overcome them. Let's see some of the ways;
First is to focus on our shared humanity. We all have almost the same basic needs and desires, and we all want to be treated with dignity and respect. Therefore by focusing on these things which are what we have in common, we can make it easier to show kindness.
Next one is to find something we have in common with the persons we're trying be kind to. Doing this can greatly help us feel more connected and empathetic towards them.
Another great strategy is making kindness a habit, integrating it into our daily routine, so that overtime it becomes something we do always and effortless too. For example, we can make a point of smiling at strangers or saying hello to everyone we pass.
The final one is to focus on our motivations for showing kindness, whether it's for selfish purpose or to create atmosphere of positivity. If the motive is selfish related like getting something in return, it can be hard to maintain that motivation over time. But if it's for the later, then it can be much easier to keep on with it.
Above all I think it's important to consider what someone else needs or wants first before showing them kindness rather than just doing what we think is best. This is to ensure that we don't get rejection after.
Like earlier stated, lack of awareness can be a barrier to showing kindness but this can be curbed through creating educational and awareness campaigns from the family, school to the society.
Just like the saying charity begins at home we can also say kindness begins at home. Parents should know that their children learn everything from them so it's important to start early to teach them these kindness acts by practicing them. This can help them develop these skills at a young age and carry them into adulthood.
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The school is not left out in this. They should make kindness education and awareness a priority in their schools.
As individuals, we can also make conscious effort to educate ourselves and others about compassion, through books, movies, or other media channels.
We can create awareness campaigns, outreaches that focus on compassion and kindness. This can help to make these values more visible and valued in our society.
Even communities are not left out in this call to support and encourage acts of kindness among their people.
They can do this by creating opportunities for people to help each other. It can be through community service projects or by organizing events like food drives or clothing drives. These items when collected can then be donated to the people who need them.
I remember when I and other Corps members carried out a community service project during my service year by visiting the prison and orphanage homes. Before going, each of us brought what we had then we also solicited for assistance from the church and friends. It was such a great opportunity to show kindness to the inmates and the orphanage homes as we presented them with our gifts. Spending time singing and dancing with these little kids at the orphanage homes and seeing their joyful smiles warmed my heart and since then I do try to visit the ones close to me.
Also religious and spiritual communities can be a powerful force for kindness. By encouraging their members to take action and serve their communities like spending time with the needy, donating old clothes, shoes, food etc, this will help spread the word about kindness the more.
My Kindness Journal
- Visited a sick aunt with some gifts over the weekend. Spent quality time with her and this cheered her up.
- Helped a mom who sat next to me carry one of her kids in a tricycle we boarded.
- Complimented our security guy at the office on his dedication to work. He was just beaming with smiles.
- Packed in a neighbor's clothes when it was about raining. She was so happy to see them all dry when she got back and of course I got a hearty thanks, lol.
- Attended the funeral ceremony of a client's father. That's my own little way of commiserating with the family on their loss and showing empathy. She was surprised to see me and grateful.
Many thanks for reading and sharing your thoughts.
Still the #threadsaddict 😂
Images Are Mine
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In another way, kindness practiced in a way could mean something else to another fellow based on how they see it to be. I read from a fellow how her friend was kind of showing kindness through hugging in another country but was frowned at which those people gave it the wrong meaning to it. This is why we should be careful and observant in showing kindness too so we don't get hurt through it.
#dreemport
Exactly, people view things differently and what your culture accept as a kind gesture in your culture may be prohibited in another culture, so being aware of what is acceptable in another clime is very important.
I appreciate your contribution.
Exactly. You got my point. Thank you, too.
You made salient points here.
We need to integrate kindness into our lifestyle, examine our motives for showing kindness, and consider what someone truly needs instead of what we think they need.
This is an excellent post, and I am glad I found it via #dreemport.
#dreemerforlife
Very well said,, thanks for sharing your thoughts.