“People will forget what you said; people will forget what you did; but people will never forget how you made them feel.” Maya Angelou.

Recently, I went to see a great film called “Wonder” which starred Julia Roberts and Owen Wilson. It’s based on the book with the same title. It tells the unforgettable story of August Pullman, a boy who’s desperate to blend in, but is destined to stand out. August’s face is seriously disfigured after a series of operations. The film charts his progress as he starts at preparatory school.

There are many uplifting quotes in the book and film. One of my favourite quotes was “when given the choice between being right and being kind, choose kind.”

It seems given the increasing conflict and disagreement reported by the media, the world could do with more people choosing to be kinder to others. Perhaps we can all learn from the Dalai Lama who, when asked about his philosophy to life said “be kind.”

Research suggests that there are many benefits to us being kind. It makes us healthier, happier and can improve our results. It gives us a greater sense of wellbeing, makes us more emotionally resilient and reduces our stress levels.

We all have many different motivations for performing acts of kindness. These can range from wanting to give something back; to helping ourselves to feel better and more purposeful. It can be as simple as wanting to feel good. A piece of research from British Columbia University suggested that people who were given $50 to spend, got more pleasure from spending it on others than spending it on themselves.

Acts of kindness can take many forms and range from planned activity such as volunteering our time to a worthy cause to more spontaneous acts. It doesn’t have to involve money. There are many simple ways we can perform acts of kindness. For example, we can give a compliment, smile at a stranger, perform some chores for an elderly person, visit someone who lives alone, buy a cup of coffee for a homeless person or donate unwanted items to charity.

We can be there for someone who is going through a challenging time or feeling a little down and actively listen to what they have to say without judgement. Alternatively we can make a loved one or stressed friend or colleague a cup of tea or coffee to cheer them up.

Each act of kindness may seem tiny but it actually brings about change. It helps to change the way we see ourselves and others. This in turn changes the way that others see us. Kind actions affect people’s lives in a positive way. They may be a source of inspiration and encourage others to perform some kind acts too. In this way it creates a positive ripple.

Kindness can also have the effect of helping us to feel more grateful for what we have in life and optimistic about the future.

This week, why not take a few moments to reflect and consider what action you can take personally to encourage greater kindness in the world.

To arrange a free no obligation consultation, please contact Stephen Pauley via the contact form or by e mail: Stephen@befirstclass.co.uk