The other day, I was at the DMV here on Guam renewing my registration for both of my vehicles. I got there early because I hate standing in lines, but I realized I had forgotten an important document.
A woman at the DMV saved me about an hour’s worth of driving and waiting in line by kindly accepting my registration, interpreting the regulations in my favor.
That kindness made my day. It’s amazing how much a small act of kindness can do. I left the DMV with a renewed sense of love for humanity, eager to pay the kindness forward.
Since then, I’ve paid my gratitude forward in several ways, and it got me thinking more deeply about kindness and humanity. I have enormous faith in humanity, but I believe we all need to work towards bringing kindness back to our society.
Try Bringing Courtesy Back to Society
While running with my sister at the local track yesterday, we discussed the decline of courtesy in modern society. My sister, Katrina, pointed out that people seem less polite these days. Simple things like saying “thank you,” holding doors open, or even smiling at strangers are becoming rare.
I’m not sure if this trend has worsened recently, but I suspect it’s due to a loss of community. People are more separated from each other than ever before.
Try Being More Aware of the Effect of Anonymity
What happens when people are in their cars? They become rude and inconsiderate. When we’re in cars, we can’t see the other drivers clearly, and they don’t know who we are. The anonymity makes it easier for us to be aggressive.
But if we met those same people face-to-face, we would likely make an effort to be polite and kind. We act differently when we are personally connected.
Try Redefining the Way We Interact in Society
As Katrina pointed out, our society is changing in ways that divide us:
- Less Religious: Fewer people are going to church these days, meaning they’re not coming together in the same way to build a sense of community.
- Television and Media: We spend more time indoors, consuming media, which further isolates us from one another.
- Car Society: Cars have taken over our streets, making it harder for people to interact face-to-face. We’re forced into cars because it’s often the most practical option, but it further distances us.
Try Coming Together in Small Ways
When I think about how to bring people together, I think about the Amish tradition of barn raising, where the community comes together to help a family. These types of activities create bonds and foster kindness.
There are already efforts like Habitat for Humanity and community clean-ups that help bring people together. I’d love to see more of these, and I believe that if we organize ways to help each other, our communities will be better, and people will be kinder.
Try Believing in the Goodness of Humanity
Call me naive оr optimistic, but I truly believe іn the goodness оf humanity. Yes, we see greed, selfishness, and rudeness every day, but I think these are symptoms оf societal systems rather than evidence оf inherent human evil.
I have faith in humanity.
For example, I often leave my car doors unlocked, carry cash ready for a potential mugger, and give money to people in need without worrying about how they’ll spend it. Recently, a reader asked for a way to buy my Zen To Done ebook outside of PayPal. I emailed it to him and trusted he’d send me a check. Not only did he send it, but he also added an extra $40 to the payment, with a note of appreciation. That gesture made my day and reaffirmed my faith in humanity.
Try Making a Difference with Small Acts
How can we spark change in small ways? One example is the “Pay It Forward” movement. While I don’t have $1,000 to give away like Oprah did, I have an ebook and blog traffic to help smaller bloggers. Here’s how I plan to do that:
- Free Ebooks: The first 30 people who comment оn this post asking for an ebook will get a free Zen Tо Done ebook. In return, they must commit tо performing an act оf kindness for someone іn their community.
- Blog Link: If you’re a blogger, write a post about how you’ll pay іt forward and link tо this one. I’ll link tо your blog іn a future post.
- Be Kind: If you’re not a blogger оr don’t need an ebook, just commit tо paying іt forward іn your community with a small act оf kindness.
Try Doing Small Acts of Kindness Every Day
As Benjamin Franklin said:
“I do not pretend to give such a sum; I only lend it to you. When you meet with another honest man in similar distress, you must pay me by lending this sum to him…”
Small acts of kindness can go a long way if we all make an effort to pass them on. Let’s come together and make kindness a part of our everyday lives.