The Classic and Timeless Guide To Happiness Through Kindness
Chapter 7 40 Ways To Be Kind
James Hollis in Finding Meaning in the Second Half of Life, commenting on Carl Jung, says: “It is far easier to walk in shoes too small for us than to step into the largeness that the soul expects and demands. Much unhappiness is caused by the refusal to step out of our own littleness.”
The number of ways to step forward is infinite. In her research, Sonja Lyubomirsky determined that when finding meaning from a higher purpose, “different methods are a better fit for different people." [“The Way To Happiness” by Dianne Hales, Reader’s Digest]
There are many suggestions below. All of them won’t be you. Choose some that are or develop your own that are suited to your unique talents and personality...
11. Spearhead An Effort To Meet A Need Initiate or participate in efforts to get a traffic light, crossing guard, walking or bike trails, no kill animal shelters, whatever seems important to you. Sometimes there are larger needs, even monumental ones. It always takes someone to begin. Gutzon Borglum started carving the faces on Mt. Rushmore knowing that he wouldn’t live to see the project completed. Martin Luther King said prophetically that he might not live long enough to see the dreams he described for “The Promised Land” being fulfilled. But he, along with many others in worthwhile endeavors provided the vision to change the lives of many. The road might seem long, but good gets accomplished along the way, as well at the end. As Andy Andrews says in Mastering The Seven DecisionsThat Determine Personal Success:“Be on the lookout for something that will change everything” - for others and for yourself... 14. Go Through Your Closets If you have anything in your closets you haven’t worn in the last year, give it away. Drop it off at a homeless shelter or take it to a thrift shop where it can help assist the less fortunate. New packages of underwear and socks are often needed at homeless shelters. Donate any coats and sweaters you don’t need. Don’t let someone else be cold on a dark, windy winter night when there are unused coats and sweaters taking up space in your closets. It’s amazing how much space can get freed up in a closet too when a few of the coats come out of there... 17. Take Visitors Where They Need To Go When visiting Paris, my partner and I took the Metro to Montmartre to see the area and the Sacre Coeur Basilica. Its front steps offer stunning views of Paris. As dominant of a building as it is, I thought it would be obvious where it was, once we exited the Metro station. It wasn’t. I asked an elderly lady which direction it was in. She didn’t speak any English, and my “French” is pathetic, but she gestured for us to follow her. She led us down the street about three blocks to a point where the church was clearly visible. I nodded and thanked her, but she motioned insistently several times that we continue to follow her. We went about twenty more steps and she gestured with her hand for us to look up. Before us was a stunning, carpet of green grass and an unobstructed view of the basilica she wanted us to see, one we would have missed if we hadn’t continued to follow her. We thanked her and then she turned and went on her way, down the same little street she had probably walked for decades before. She wouldn’t settle for doing a partial kindness, but only the fullest one she could offer. Such sweetness and concern for strangers for us to emulate...