Want to be happy? Then do these 10 things to share more kindness.

Kindness is older than religion, and history suggests its appeal has always been ubiquitous.

Researchers at Oxford University have determined that kindness is our most prized value, and they believe it’s essential for survival.

Evolutionary anthropologists at Duke have also discovered that kindness and cooperation improve our prospects for success.

It appears that reasoning is the magical ingredient.?It’s why we spend money on social programs and donate blood.

At the London school of economics, they’ve established a strong correlation between acts of kindness and happiness.

Sonja Lyubomirsky is a Psychology professor at the University of California Riverside and a leading expert on happiness.?Her research shows that being kind improves mental and physical wellbeing.

There’s a reason why I’ve spent decades promoting the virtues of happiness.?At Anatomy of Success, I believe we can focus on four tenets of equanimity to increase our prospects for happiness each day.

“In a world where you can be anything, be kind.” – Jennifer Dukes Lee

Here are 10 ways to practice kindness daily:

Support

Many people live in a world of scarcity.?As a result, they believe lifting others up will reduce their prospects for success.?When we encourage other people to achieve their dreams, we never know the long-term implications of our efforts.?There’s enough kindness and enough success for everyone.

Contemplate

Many people are quick to speak and anger easily.?When we stop to contemplate our words, we appreciate their impact and chose our words wisely.?Pausing and listening carefully even when we don’t agree, ensures kindness gets infused into our communication efforts.

Spread

I encourage people to spread kindness generously.?A smile, laughter, or a helping hand.?When we extend kindness to another person, they often respond by extending kindness to someone else.?Kindness is contagious, spread it!

Aware

Being considerate requires self-awareness and being cognizant of our interaction with others.?Once we appreciate the impact of our words, we communicate with greater care and appreciate how simple acts of kindness can create a compounding effect in the world we live in.

Don’t discriminate

It’s easy to overlook someone and make judgements that prevent us from being kind.?A colleague who seems depressed and we take their mood swings personally.?We assume we understand the magnitude of their struggles and prefer avoidance.?A simple smile can stimulate dialogue that leads to better understanding.?It can literally change someone's life.

“You can never know the ripple effect you create with one tiny gesture of kindness.” – Elle Sommer

Model

When kindness dwells in our heart our actions exemplify our priorities.?A person of sincere character that values people makes kindness a daily practice and their demeanor is inspirational.?Be the example the world desperately needs and display kindness openly.

Practice

I’ve seen plenty of staged acts of kindness on social media, all engineered toward getting vanity metrics.?Real kindness is done without regard of getting anything in return, and it's driven by intention.?When we genuinely desire to make kindness a priority, we practice it daily, even when people aren’t watching.

Enrich

When we exhibit kindness, the benefits are mutually beneficial.?Lifting someone up and spreading joy and laughter leaves the recipient feeling incredible.?The advantage to us is a powerful sense of satisfaction which will be multiplied throughout the day.

Guiding light

Be the first to extend a hand of friendship or spread a smile.?We often don’t because we fear it won’t be reciprocated.?So what??When we build up immunity to feeling the need to get something in return, we spread kindness anyway, even if it isn’t reciprocated.?It doesn’t require being a doormat, it demands self-confidence.????

Do it

When we seek a life of joy and happiness, we make people top priority and people usually give us plenty of opportunities to be kind.?Making this a daily practice will ensure we feel amazing everyday which promotes a heightened since of life satisfaction.

“Unexpected kindness is the most powerful, least costly, and most underrated agent of human change.” – Bob Kerrey

Sum it up

Are you making kindness a top priority??Share your thoughts in the comments section and please like and share this article. I love learning from you as well.

About Steve:

Steve Wohlenhaus is CEO of Weatherology, the leading company in the world at disseminating audio weather information.??Steve began his career as a major market television weather anchor in Minneapolis, where he received several Emmy Awards for science programming.?Steve is an author and host of the podcast program Anatomy of Success.?Reach out and connect with me on LinkedIn.?Learn more about my work and grab the free Weatherology mobile app by clicking any picture in this article!