We all learned the importance of kindness as children. However, somewhere along the way, we all learn other things which may conflict: focus, prioritization, selfishness, greed.
Throughout adulthood, it’s all too common for everyday stresses and distractions to prevent us from being kind to others—but it’s obviously important to make a conscious effort to be kind and empathetic. Whether it’s friends, family, or even complete strangers, practicing kindness and empathy helps us relate to other people, and it also helps us create and maintain more positive relationships – that in turn help us in our career and lives.
And the less obvious part is the best part: Being kind is actually good for your own health and happiness! Acts of kindness have been proven to do this by:
Several years ago, when researching successful CEO’s for my book Likeable Business, I had a conversation with Sheldon Yellen, the CEO of global property restoration company Belfor, that helped me change my mindset and inspired me to more actively institute kindness into my own life:
“Be kind,” Sheldon said, “and you’ll feel better. Be kind to the people at work, and be kind to the people you love, and be kind to strangers. When you’re by yourself, write a kind letter to someone, ‘just because’. You’ll feel better, and the crazy thing is, that’s how you end up getting ahead.”
After practicing this for years, (and somehow still getting it wrong sometimes!), I’ve realized that kindness always leads to improving my mood, and an improved mood often leads to improved productivity, and that often leads to success! The thing is, whether or not kindness helps you get ahead, this much is true:
Every time you’re actively kind, you’ll feel better