4 ways to prepare for kindness

Kindness doesn’t just happen, you’ve got to decide to be kind, and I think, to prepare for it.  

Here’s four ideas on how to prepare yourself to be kind:

1. Be soft hearted.  Imagine, a book by Jonah Lehrer, documents that happy people are more creative, that they are better problem solvers, and that this can be proved by science.  Hardening your heart has a ripple affect of negative consequences.  You can’t get hurt, but you can’t feel either.  You can’t see possibilities, potential, solutions, and a bright future. 
2. Put others before yourself.  In the world of addiction, there is a constantly underlying attitude of self-interest.  What’s in it for me?  What about my needs?  Me, me, me.  But it’s not just the the world of addiction, it’s the world we live in generally.  Instead put others in front of yourelf.
3. Speak kind words.  So many people think that kindness is giving gifts; it involves sacrifice, or some grand gesture.  The truth is that a timely kind word is so important and there is nothing better.
4. Kindness under pressure.  So often we don’t act in kindness because we have things on our mind.  Our problems and challenges are overwhelming us.  What are some of the enemies of kindness?  Cynicism, busyness, insensitivity, impatience.  Yet it’s when we are most under pressure that it is needed most.