Why being kinder gets you farther
In today’s world many of the people we encounter are becoming blind. Not by eyesight but instead by coldness. The world for many has been harsh. Many barely have the energy to take care of themselves, let alone anyone else. Even the optimists don’t seem to smile as hard as they once did.
Everyday we click onto our feeds and are bombarded by more bad news. Prices sky rocketing and war still raging. It’s no wonder people can’t seem to shake the frown off.
Not only is it strangers that are less kind but even the people we hold close. Friends we used to hold dear seem to hold us back at a further distance.
You may even find it harder to be kind to yourself. With so many things to worry about, your own mental health can fall low on that list. To me it feels as if the whole world has gone into a fight or flight response.
But how did we get here and is it to late?
The Downfall
As I mentioned the world has not been kind to many. It feels as if we are stuck in a sinkhole that’s only pulling us deeper. But recently it feels as if we are sinking quicker than ever.
For many it started when we were in school. We were taught the world worked a certain way and if we fell in line and did our part we would have the key to a happy life. Go to school, get a good job, work hard, and than retire.
But things are much different than they were even a few years ago. Not only are prices higher but jobs are crappier. Many are faced with making difficult choices that at one point were not choices at all.
Eating healthy used to be a given, spending time with family was routine, and making friends was simple. Nowadays it can feel impossible to balance all three.
On top of that, we have been trained to be against each other. Everything is the man’s fault or the women’s fault, the parent’s fault, the kid’s fault. No one takes accountability and instead blames someone else.
But A Change Can Start
Change is hard, especially when many of us are stuck in a hard place. Many of us forget that we are not the only ones struggling. When you take the time to really listen to people you often find that many others are in the same boat as you.
Small actions often seem useless, after all how does smiling more and being more kind make a difference? It becomes especially hard when your kindness goes unnoticed.
The world we currently live in is strictly transactional. Meaning, I won’t do something for you unless you do something for me. While at first that seems only fair right? With many of our resources being stretched so thin it’s no wonder we are hesitant to share.
But this begins to become a problem quickly. Many build walls of distrust, disloyalty, and solely become selfish, only looking out for themselves. Being kind becomes hard because there are no guarantees.
Unfortunately there are a lot of bad actors nowadays. With everyone desperate to survive, many step over others just to get ahead. In return many begin to see everyone as their enemy. No one wants to be the first to give in.
But that’s just it, if no one puts something in, no one can get anything out. If everyone treats each other coldly, no one will want to be the first to break that cycle.
While it can be hard to be kind it often can be the factor that changes your life. Kindness doesn’t even have to be big. We often think to be kind we need to do something life changing to be appreciated. But often times instead it is actually the act of repetition.
Learning to be kind often while expecting little back can be scary. After all, you are putting yourself out there. But often times repeated acts of kindness will get noticed, it just won’t be instant.
While this is by no means encouragement to become a pushover, doing small acts of kindness allows you to do them more often while also not losing your ground.
Often times doing things without expectations leads to the best results. Perhaps that person was having a horrible day but by your small act they regain some hope. While that does not benefit you not everything in this world needs to. After all we are herd creatures, and sometimes you do something that benefits someone else because in the long run that benefits the herd.
While it isn’t easy to always be kind, today can be your start. Whether it’s smiling more, holding doors open, or even just taking the time to listen to a friend. Your expectations may even change as you come to gain a better understanding of the people around you.
If you have any acts of kindness that stuck out to you feel free to comment them! It may give other readers ideas, and if you enjoyed today’s post be sure to leave a like and even subscribe! Be sure to check out some of my other posts mentioned down below!
With Love, Victoria Fox
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