Random Acts of Kindness Week and Developing a “Kindness Instinct”

When our Nonprofit Management professor asked if any one had any nonprofit news to share last week, I informed my classmates that February 14 – 20 was the annual Random Acts of Kindness Week in the hopes of getting my peers’ do-gooder inspirational juices flowing.

“Random acts of kindness just this week?” Our professor cheekily replied, and I smirked. No, I explained, Acts of Kindness — of the random or planned variety – should be done every week.

Though making an “event” out of kindness may help us focus on it for a time, I believe we can train ourselves to become kinder creatures year-round. I don’t think it requires big acts of heroism or sacrifice. At the risk of sounding pseudo-zen (yes, I just made up that word), I think it really just takes careful reflection, listening, and watching.

Of course, becoming kinder — letting it saturate your mindset and become a part of a natural instinct — I think that’s something that takes practice. Every one is human and flawed and an act of kindness is a way of sort of forgiving others for those flaws. I think having a “keen kindness instinct” is akin to having a high sense of awareness of what is going on around you, in a way, and in a practical sense may help lower our individual risk of succumbing to the Bystander Effect. I theorize we can further develop our 24/7 kindness instincts by practicing some simple ways to connect to others, even if indirectly:

• Make Eye Contact. Smile: This is actually a little difficult if you’re not used to it, but not only might it warm up those around you, you will build your own sense of confidence as well (which others will instantly sense and react to).
• Observe and Listen: (Without being creepy!) Take note of others around you as you walk or sit in public. Pay attention to their expressed emotions and let yourself smile if you see others smile, building the empathy-muscle.
• Watch For Those In Need: Let yourself regress into childhood if you need to in order to remember what it was like to pretend to be a superhero to the rescue. Look around and see if you are needed, even in the smallest of ways. Is some one walking toward a door you could open for them? Did some one drop their books on the floor that you could help pick up?
• Reflect On Negativity With Empathy: This particular task takes some self-convincing at first but I can attest that it is a useful tool, if you let it be. If some one has angered or upset you, or brought out some other negative emotion in you, make yourself sit down and write a journal entry — As if you are that person. Writing completely from their perspective, consider the possible range of emotions they must be feeling as a result of whatever has happened. By the end, I wager you’ll feel better.

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   February 17, 2011 at 9:34 am

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