99 Ways To Be Kind

Do we live in a friendly or unfriendly universe? No less a mind than Albert Einstein once said this is the most important question we as humans can ask our selves. Welcome to 99* Ways To Be Kind. I believe overwhelmingly that we live in a friendly universe, but I recognize that people, events, and circumstances are not always so. I suspect if you purchased this book you believe the same as I, or you’re at least leaning in that direction. Kindness and goodness have been a passion of mine for many years, since I heard a lecture where Dr. Wayne Dyer spoke of kindness as being so positive for the human soul, that even witnessing a kind act was enough to change human chemistry and increase your antibodies. Think of how amazing that is. Intuitively, we know performing a kindness with no expectation of reciprocity makes you feel good, and when a kindness is shown to you, there’s a tendency to experience a nice feeling in your soul, but imagine the possibilities where an act of goodness is spread in perpetuity to all who witness it, spreading good health as a byproduct. If you could do that, it would make you more resistant to illness and poor health. Kindness truly is a win-win-win action. This was even confirmed when Harvard University did a study where people watched a video of Mother Theresa helping poor people in Calcutta. After seeing it, the viewer’s immune systems kicked in immediately in measurable amounts. The researchers actually call it “The Mother Teresa Effect”. Allan Luks and Peggy Payne write about this “Helpers High” in great detail in their book, “The Healing Power of Doing Good”, where the majority of over 3000 volunteers reported feeling happier and more energetic after volunteering, a feeling that was similar to runners high. The 3000 went on to say they experienced long-term benefits as well, since the deeds were an antidote to stress, chronic pain and insomnia. 99* Ways To Be Kind is not meant to be a checklist and most of you will find these ways are things you already do, but weren’t aware of the positive impact they have on other people and your own soul’s nourishment. This book will help you see them and yourself in a new light. When you begin to act and see yourself as a kind person, you will notice a personal transformation where people will respond with more kindness toward you and the list of good and positive things will grow in your life, as befits a person who’s truly kind. Certainly I hope you read and gain some new ideas for displaying kindness in your everyday lives, but its true meaning is to jog your awareness and see the multiple opportunities and environments there are to display kindness, and how many people in different walks of life can be effected in a positive way. 99* Ways To Be Kind describes different acts and many ways to spread goodness. Some will cost you money, some will cost you time as a volunteer, others ask you to think about another’s needs and feelings, while others specify thinking about yourself and your intrinsic value to the world, but whatever the cost, you’ll feel better, others will feel better, and the world can be made a better place. None of this is new however. When Jesus spoke to his followers about doing for the “least of your brothers”, he was speaking about basic kindness. Judaism describes Chesed. Also translated as Loving-Kindness, it’s central to Jewish ethics and theology and even viewed as the name of God by Kabbalists. When The Buddha gave his followers the Ten Perfections, Loving Kindness was number nine, although I would make an impassioned plea that his number one perfection, Generosity could not be accomplished with out a kind and loving soul first. Islam speaks of kindness thusly, “The greatest goal of Islam is to extend kindness to self and to the creatures. It is this goal that determines the position of one before Allah in this world and the hereafter.” What’s the common bond then between four of the worlds most adhered to religions? They were all describing kindness. Saints of all faiths and artists who are able to tap into the creative flow of the universe have always known this, but now its time for you and I to become more aware and practice the “Random Acts of Kindness and Senseless Acts of Beauty” and make the universe we live in a truly friendly place. 1 Acts Of Kindness Toward Yourself There’s an old adage that you can’t change the world if you can’t get your own house in order first, which is pretty much what I’m talking about here. We’re often taught contradictory messages about doing for yourself, thus these can be the toughest kind acts to perform because I’m asking you to put yourself first, and lets face it putting yourself first seems selfish doesn’t it? I like to frame the issue in the metaphor of physical fitness, because it helps one gain a clearer picture of the issue. Kindness is like any other activity, and you need a certain level of emotional fitness to be good at it for a long period of time. If you don’t take time to keep yourself emotionally strong, a kind of charity fatigue sets in and you become numb to opportunities for being kind. It’s great that you would do for others and help everyone around you, but if you don’t take care of yourself, emotionally and physically, you’ll be a flame that burns to bright, and extinguishes itself to soon. That is a disservice to you and the world you’re trying to do 99 kind things in... 2 Acts Of Kindness Around The House Acts of kindness around the house are a sure way to improve relationships with your children, your partner, and guarantee that your life becomes better if only by virtue of the fact that one good turn deserves another. When you start to incorporate your children into acts of kindness you strengthen that relationship because there’s no such thing as a wasted act when it comes to children, and in the “Homsher Handicapping Scale”, when you make life easier for your partner with out having to be asked, the payback is swift and many times more than the original deed. This payback can be in the form of reciprocal kindness, but is often in the form of affection. Yeaaahhhh… That’s what I’m talking about. Kindness is sexy. So remember when you’re kind around the home, your kids will love you, you’ll appear younger, lighter, better looking, and if someone appreciates kindness, you’ll be hotter than anyone in Hollywood... 3 Long Term Acts of Kindness “I slept and dreamt that life was joy. I awoke and saw that life was service. I acted and behold, service was joy.” Rabindranath Tagore, the Bengali poet and essayist wrote this line about a hundred years ago, but I believe it to be timeless in its ability to capture the true nature of a long-term act of kindness. These acts are ones that require a long-term commitment to someone or something and should not be taken lightly. The service involved needn’t be viewed as a sentence to hard labor, but rather as a commitment to serving where you truly make a difference and affect a positive change with your long-term commitment. Joy, as well as satisfaction and accomplishment, will come as a natural progression of performing and practicing these acts of kindness... 4 Acts of Kindness In The Car Road Rage. Just the name is scary. It implies that other drivers are careening insanely along, about to snatch you up and kill you. It is compelling though and makes you want to listen to every bad story the news repeats about it. Maybe its time we replace Road Rage with a new moniker. Driving a car is a difficult task and in America we take it for granted, but it requires concentration and a certain level of skill or else you’re just some idiot with a four wheeled missile pointing at every other unfortunate pedestrian, worker, or fellow driver. With all the talk of road rage,wouldn’t it be nice to instead spread stories of Moblie Manners...