KINDNESS: what is it and how can you cultivate this quality in yourself?

What is kindness - definition of the word

Kindness is a positive quality of a person, manifested in his good intentions and actions towards other people. However, it is worth understanding that such actions must be done from the heart, that is, without any benefit or self-interest.

Every person, from his very birth, has kindness. It is very important that all good deeds are done from the heart. Only such actions can bring the desired result. If you act not according to conscience, but with a certain benefit, then such actions cannot be considered kindness. Remember this whenever you are going to help another person.

It is worth understanding that kindness is an internal state of a person, and in order to understand the true meaning of this word, you need to understand the essence of spiritual development, as well as be a positive person. Spirituality is that state of a person that makes it possible to feel all the positive emotions that encourage us to do good deeds.

Kindness has always been considered one of the main human qualities, which is still highly valued today. After all, when we do good deeds without demanding anything in return, we become happier and stronger.

It is worth understanding that kindness must be shown without any self-interest, otherwise it is no longer kindness. By doing good deeds, we evoke a response in people; a feeling of gratitude and joy overwhelms everyone around us. There is also an opinion that when we do good, it comes back to us in greater quantities.

Despite the fact that kindness implies selflessness, every person subconsciously wants to receive some kind of “reward”, because by doing good deeds, we waste our strength and energy.

When our actions are taken for granted, it can greatly disappoint a person, break his will, after which all desire to help people and do good disappears. Therefore, it is important that kindness is returned with kindness.

Remember that a good-natured person will never ask for gratitude for the good he has done. But this does not mean that you should not thank the person for the care they show you. Words of gratitude carry great energy, which can charge a person with positivity; in addition, any person will be very pleased when they say a simple “THANK YOU”

It is important to understand that only a kind person can show kindness to other people. Pay attention to good deeds in order to learn to be a more developed and noble person, always thank someone who wishes you well or helps you in something.

Gratitude can be expressed in many ways. As a rule, we thank with a smile and the word “thank you”; in some cases, for kindness you can receive a material reward or a reciprocal favor.

What gives us good?

Understanding what good is, a person can move through life with harmony within himself. He is able to solve difficult problems and overcome the problems that he faces every day. There is a certain calmness, fearlessness and confidence within him. He knows what to do to be happy and give happiness to other people.

Without goodness, the world would have long ago drowned in endless chaos. Wars, conflicts, cruelty - how would it all end? And how can one not conclude that humanity survives and confidently develops precisely thanks to goodness? Of course, not everyone has positive traits, not everyone strives for peace and tranquility. But perhaps it is through contrasts that we coexist. Good and bad were, are and will always be.

Etymology of the word and its concept

In the modern understanding, the meaning of the words “good” and “kindness” is of a moral nature. However, in dictionaries of the 18th and 19th centuries, “good” is described not only as a moral manifestation of positive actions, but also materially - property, acquired property. Thus, goodness was associated with a person's accumulated wealth, and these people were called good.

The word “good” is of original Russian origin; it dates back to the Proto-Slavic language, which existed before the 5th century. Etymologists believe that the word comes from the word “oak” which in turn meant strong, courageous, stable.

It is also worth noting that the word “good” was the fourth letter of the ancient Slavic alphabet (alphabet). Each letter of this alphabet carried not just a set of sounds, but individual words that allowed people to see images and broad understanding in them.

Our ancestors considered goodness to be spiritual wealth that must be accumulated throughout one’s life. Much attention was paid to kindness, because a person’s righteous actions strengthen spiritual viability and help a person become more humane. Goodness must be given to people, for this you need to get rid of all self-interest and perform good deeds from a pure heart

Kindness is a word that has no other analogues in foreign languages, but nevertheless such a concept has always existed. Even in the times of ancient philosophy, the concept of kindness was considered part of the spiritual state of a person. In the further development of philosophy, kindness was associated with a certain benefit or benefit.

Let's look at three words, they are similar in sound and origin, but have different meanings:

Goodness is valuable actions of a moral orientation that are associated with human actions in relation to other people or other beings.
Kindness is a permanent human quality that involves selfless help. A person with kindness is always filled with the desire to benefit others without demanding anything in return.
Virtue is the ability of every person to do good deeds or perform good deeds. Essentially, virtue is our desire to do good and do good deeds.

In any case, these words are aimed at bringing only benefits to others, of an emotional, spiritual or material nature.

What is a good deed?

This question is also not simple and has tormented the minds of many people. The essence of a good deed is highlighted by a certain action or several actions aimed at increasing the good (in a moral and ethical sense, not material) of others, without putting one’s own interests above. To simplify a little, a good deed is performed exclusively for someone, without thinking about one’s own benefit from these actions and without expecting a material or ethical reward for this.

An idealized good deed should not harm anyone. It can manifest itself through a specific action, such as financial or ethical assistance. Although it seems that this is a very complex and subjective concept, we encounter it much more often than it seems.

The manifestation of a good deed is highlighted in:

Sincerity.
Selflessness.
Compassion.
Eradicating stinginess.
Justice.
Thrift.
Determination.

It is these manifestations that are the basis for any good deed. And their implementation, with proper upbringing, never causes difficulty or internal rejection. But they also have their own hidden characteristics, because the manifestation of each of these principles can be internal and external. A true good deed will not conflict between the internal attitude to the situation and the external one.

Goodness and Kindness in Religion

As was said earlier, the word good originally had the meaning of a material nature, that is, acquired property. A person who possessed wealth was called “good.” But when Christianity came to us, the meaning of good began to change and take on a moral and ethical character.

In religions all over the world, goodness and kindness are given great importance. This is due to the fact that the source of good is God himself. Therefore, it means that all acts of kindness are approved by the Creator. The Bible places great importance on good and evil. We are taught to distinguish between good and evil, in order not to harm others, but to act in such a way that everyone will be happy from such actions

The Bible says that Good is one of the names of God and, as a result, all manifestations of good are divine power. In turn, kindness is the main sign of humanity, thus, a true believer must always do good.

But there is some disagreement on this issue among philosophers, religious leaders and theologians. If God is the source of good, then why did he create evil? It is difficult to give a clear answer to this question, however, it can be assumed that evil exists so that good can be comprehended. After all, if there were no evil, then how can one comprehend good?

In Christianity, good is considered to be certain actions that bring happiness and joy and cannot cause harm, suffering or pain to other people. Since God is the source of good, all manifestations of kindness can only be carried out according to the will of God. Christianity also says that the feeling in which a person does good is love. Love is also considered a feeling that God gave us. Therefore, when doing good, a person acts according to the will of God.
Islam says that people should do good without demanding any approval in return. When communicating with each other, people are obliged to be attentive, not to use rude words, Islam teaches to give a kind word, not to insult an opponent and not to be malicious towards others. In Islam, it is believed that good is a certain positive quality of a person that appears with birth and comes from Allah, and evil is a product of the activity of the person himself. Islam teaches us to be kind to other people's opinions and to accept their point of view without any dissent.
In Buddhism, the teachings are aimed at ensuring that every person experiences kindness throughout his life. Buddhism differs from other religions in that there is no opposition between good and evil. However, love and compassion are given great importance here. One of the main followers of Buddhism, the Dalai Lama, in all his public appearances, talks about the importance of kindness and compassion in the public life of humanity.

Each of the religions is aimed at ensuring that humanity is kind, so that we always live in goodness, both in the sense of material well-being and in the sense of the state of our soul. Religion helps to know and gain faith in love, as well as hope for the best outcome. The scriptures are a great gift to humanity.

Kindness Day

Kindness Day has been celebrated for more than 20 years in different countries around the world.
Every year, the list of countries grows. This holiday was created so that every person understands the power of good deeds, because today there is a lot of malice, betrayal and anger. People need to be reminded that by doing good, we get limitless opportunities to strengthen our own spiritual development. Today, 28 countries around the world celebrate World Kindness Day. This holiday was founded on November 13, 1998. The main idea of the Japanese organizers of the “Worldwide Kindness Movement” is that every person has kindness, which can unite and unite all of humanity. All participants in this movement believe that doing good is not difficult and useful, because in the end it will return to each person many times over. On this holiday, people are encouraged to give flowers, say pleasant and kind words to each other, and organize events dedicated to kindness.

At the beginning of the 20th century, a day of spontaneous acts of kindness was initiated by organizers from the United States. And now every year on February 17 this holiday is celebrated, although it is an unofficial event. The main goal of the action is for everyone to take part in this event and help everyone who is in need. Regardless of beliefs, religious preferences, or race. Today, this action has gained great popularity all over the world.

Amazing Facts About Goodness

The main and most important fact about goodness is that goodness is an action. This is always some kind of directed action. Agree, it is impossible to do anything good without realizing your motives, without the desire to bring light. A lot of evil was committed precisely through inaction.

It is a directed accomplishment that can bear fruit, and the best facts about the existence of goodness are contained even in small actions. A striking example would be cases when pets are taken from shelters or simply picked up on the street. No one realizes or assumes that many of these pets not only show gratitude to their families throughout their lives, but also often save their owners from death.

The desire to alleviate the stress of children while fighting the disease can develop into a huge charity event. For example, a working nurse in America wanted to help a girl calmly bear the stress of chemotherapy when the little girl was fighting cancer. A woman made a Rapunzel character costume so that the child would not react so strongly to hair loss from treatment. The girl’s reaction touched the nurse so much that she decided to carry out such an action for other children, launching an action throughout the country called The Magic Yarn Project.

It seems like such little things, but they bring benefits to so many people. There are little things that save lives and animals. In some villages in England, separate lanes have been designated for ducks. It seems like an absolute trifle, too, but this action not only saved the lives of many ducks, but also significantly reduced the number of accidents. With the help of such strips, it became possible to regulate the speed of traffic, and drivers began to be more attentive to animals on the roads.

Even the smallest directed good can change the whole world. Even if not the world as a whole, then the inner world or the whole life of one person. You should not be afraid to act; you should eradicate inaction.

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Can kindness cause harm to a person?

We are all taught from childhood to show kindness and care towards other people. Of course, this is good and correct. As a result of this, we try to do good deeds and perform good deeds “left and right.”

How often do we think about whether another person needs it? When we decide to help those in need, we take away from them the natural qualities that each of us is endowed with.

It is very important to do good deeds only when good deeds are expected of you. If you impose your kindness, it may contribute to irritation. Be careful and always try to find out the cause of human grief, but do it in such a way that no one suffers from it. Kindness implies receiving a mutual feeling of joy, and is also aimed at ensuring that every person becomes happier from good deeds

In order to cope with difficulties in life, we have such qualities as: determination; perseverance, fortitude, courage and other character traits that help us independently cope with the difficulties that appear on our way.

When we start helping people, showing excessive concern, doing good deeds, we automatically deprive that person of the ability to overcome all their problems on their own. In this way we select the ability to develop personality.

Let's look at 4 examples when excessive kindness can harm a person.

Unsolicited advice

When we give advice to another person, it seems to us that we are doing a good deed. This kindness is the easiest way to spread goodness and help people. However, such behavior may not always bring benefits to others.

As a rule, this only repels. After all, unsolicited advice cannot solve a problem; in order to advise a person to act in a certain way, you need to know the problem, and for this you need to have a conversation and find out the reason.

For good to work, talk to the person, try to find out whether he needs your desire to do a good deed. Before you give any advice, you must know for sure that your efforts will benefit the other person. You should not advise a person to do something against his will. Only openness and attentiveness can lead you to mutual results

Many people are very annoyed by “advisers” who interfere with their vision of the problem. Although in most cases there is no such need. It is entirely possible that the creation of negative energy is directly related to egregor . A person who enters this energy channel quickly becomes dependent on its influence.

An excessive desire to advise something or tell you what is right and what is wrong often becomes the reason that they begin to avoid you.

Unsolicited advice is a poor way to show kindness, so try to be more attentive to the problems of your loved ones. And if possible, ask the person whether he needs your help or can cope with his problems on his own.

Providing a service. Unsolicited help

There is such an expression as “disservice”. This means that you help a person who does not ask you for help, or provide poor quality help, but declare: Everything will be fine! As a result of such actions, a person receives more harm than good. Therefore, it is not clear why then, for such actions, you consider yourself a bearer of kindness.

If, thanks to your efforts, a person suffers damage, then most likely they will no longer want to do business with you. Therefore, think carefully before giving someone unsolicited help.

It is best to help those who expect it from you, but cannot admit it. Or when you know for sure that your actions will only lead to positive results. And the person you helped will remain in a good position.

Of course, any person who does good deeds deserves respect. Every action aimed at improving life or strengthening one’s emotional as well as spiritual state will certainly bring benefits. If you act from the bottom of your heart, then most likely you will receive reciprocal gratitude for your actions from other people. Be kind to people and they will be kind to you back

Of course, all this will count towards your “karma”. Only in this case can you count on: reciprocal kindness from the person in need; and a positive, mutually beneficial outcome.

Excessive concern

You should not show excessive concern towards a person. When you start caring about someone all the time, it can cause a lack of personal development. If you have great opportunities to help a person, this is certainly good, but you should understand that such actions and acts of kindness will ultimately harm the person and your relationship with him.

Know moderation in everything, give the other person the opportunity to make his own choice, let him make his own decisions and be responsible for his actions. You should not decide for others what to do in a given situation. This can only be done if your inaction will definitely make things worse. Otherwise, such kindness usually becomes the cause of disappointment, and can cause significant harm to one and the other.

True kindness

True kindness cannot be regarded as something material. The whole power of good intentions or actions lies in good, selfless goals. Only when we, from the bottom of our hearts, from the soul, try to give kindness, these are real, true feelings. As the people say: “they don’t seek goodness from goodness.” And indeed it is!

You should not impose your kindness. Don't try to show off this high feeling. True kindness requires no approval. But one should also carefully consider the possibility of manifesting good actions. You should not force a person to accept your intentions. If someone needs your help, they will ask for it themselves. So that your kindness does not become the cause of disappointment or anger, then take the trouble to find out whether they expect help from you or not

But if a person begins to forcefully impose his good intentions, then this can be called false kindness. Usually, such people are very selfish; they always try to teach, impose their opinion without paying attention to what others think about it.

Therefore, if you want to feel happy and for everyone to do well, then listen to your heart, inner voice, intuition, you can call it whatever you want.

But, you just ask yourself whether you want to help or not. And as soon as you feel internal approval, you can safely begin to act.

Never seek to benefit from your actions. You cannot do good for evil. Any manifestation of kindness plays a big role in the life of every person. Often kindness is something that is done in accordance with our spiritual state. Only a good-natured person can bring happiness and joy to another person

Your main task is to consider the possible reasons and consequences of your good deeds. They are often done to appear smarter or more important. For some, the opportunity to receive gratitude or other benefits is more important. And there are also cases in which kindness becomes a means of manipulation and blackmail.

It is worth understanding that using kindness for such purposes can only lead to temporary achievement of the desired result, or bring disappointment in one’s actions.

Declension of the noun good

Case	Question	Unit	Mn. number
Nominative	(who what?)	good	of good
Genitive	(who, what?)	of good	kind
Dative	(to whom; to what?)	good	good
Accusative	(who, what?)	good	of good
Instrumental	(by whom, what?)	good	kind
Prepositional	(About who about what?)	good	good

Is it possible to cultivate kindness in yourself and others?

Kindness is the ability of every person to do good deeds. It is embedded in us from birth and is part of us. However, like all other feelings, kindness also needs to be developed. To do this, you need to constantly cultivate this quality in yourself. In this way you will gain a new level of knowledge.

It is worth understanding that all good deeds and actions are a voluntary desire that comes from a pure heart. To get the most benefit from what you do, do only what your heart tells you to do. Cultivating kindness in yourself means constantly working on yourself. Every time you are ready to help people, remember that your task is to help those in need as much as possible.

How can you teach kindness in a child?

Kindness is an important component of our spiritual state. This is important for all parents to understand. They must be ready to instill in their child not only perseverance, confidence and the ability to defend their point of view, but also teach their child to sympathize, be kind and responsive. It is necessary to show by personal example that kindness is born where there is mutual trust and boundless love.

See 10 tips from psychologists to cultivate in your child those qualities that will help you learn the real power of kindness:

Do not try to intimidate or aggressively influence aggressive behavior. This creates a feeling of fear that can only harm your child;
Children need to be taught to trust. Without trust there can be no question of kindness;
You can tell a story from your life to subtly convey the importance of kindness and good deeds;
It is important to explain the power of good and evil words, so that the child understands what words can cause pain to a person, and what needs to be said so that everyone rejoices and is happy;
Try to teach yourself to listen to your heart and discern your own feelings in order to find true kindness;
You should not take away your child’s favorite things or toys. Because of this, he will feel deceived and will become afraid to trust other people;
Use the language of kindness and love to teach your child empathy, gentleness, and fairness;
Establish an understanding that there are people with disabilities, and that such people need special care and approach;
Focus on empathy so that the child knows and can empathize with the feelings of other people or animals;
Raise in love, because a person surrounded by care and love will know from his own experience the full power of these warm feelings. This way he will never become evil and will always be happy.

Every person has the ability to care.
Caring people tend to be kind and positive individuals. Caring cannot be a bad thing, which means that it is an integral part of kindness. Learn yourself, and teach your children to do the right thing and do good deeds. It is very important to constantly cultivate kindness in yourself until the very end . Using all these tips to the maximum, you will not only teach your child to be kind and show compassion to those people who are in grief. You yourself will also be fueled by this vital energy, which lies in positive actions and words.

How can a person cultivate kindness in himself?

To become kinder, you need to work a lot on your own actions, and help people who deserve it as much as possible. Showing kindness to another person can look different. This could be a simple kind word of gratitude, a smile, or worthy and selfless actions aimed at helping another person.

Every good deed is done in a good mood, and the person who performs such deeds is endowed with a huge gift. There is nothing more enjoyable than helping people. By helping others, we feel important and we receive positive emotions. They give us and everyone around us incredible power.

In order to cultivate kindness in yourself, you need to follow simple rules that will help you achieve the best result:

Smile more often. A smile always helps people become closer to each other; it charges everyone around with positivity. By smiling, a person shows his good intentions, and makes many people forget about troubles and misfortunes. Such people are always treated positively, as they are imbued with positive emotions;
Take part in events. Keep track of all the promotions that take place in your city. Try to take an active part and assist in every possible way in organizing such events. This can be any action aimed at improving living conditions in your city;
Learn from others. Try to remember what other people did that benefited you. Think about everyone who showed you kindness during difficult times and how it made you feel. Constantly do the same for others, and you will definitely become kinder and calmer;
Do good deeds. There are many situations in which you can be kind, helping others, but not at the expense of yourself. For example, give up your seat to an elderly person or a girl or woman on public transport. Compliment the seller in the store if you see that she is in a bad mood, wish good morning, afternoon or evening to those you meet, and so on. You can do a lot of good deeds a day, from which you can definitely only benefit.
Never litter. Try to always monitor cleanliness, make a remark to those who do not clean up after themselves. After all, when we see a lot of garbage and dirt around us, this is a sign of poverty, rudeness and ignorance. We need to take care of the ecological state of the environment, because nature gives us life, so what is the point of harming it?
Show kindness to everyone around you. It is very important to be a good-natured person, that is, to selflessly help not only those who are in trouble, but also everyone else. Be attentive to details, ask about problems or difficulties and help overcome them. A feeling of sincere care will only cause a response aimed at good.

Just follow these rules, do good deeds, do big and small good deeds, smile and always do good from your heart. And you will definitely cultivate kindness in yourself. It will help you overcome many difficulties. There will be a lot of grateful people around you who will remember your care and kindness once shown. And if necessary, when you yourself need help, all your good deeds will be returned to you many times over.

A person who loves to help others and will never leave another person in trouble. Worthy of great recognition and respect

Good as something bad. Examples

A word that is good in principle can, however, also have a not-so-pretty coloration and have a tinge of irony and disdain. The most common everyday phrases can tell you what good is in a negative sense.

For example, someone wants to sell you a completely useless thing. The expression would be appropriate: “I have plenty of such goodness.” This example expands the concept of what good is. Its definition here sounds like “worthless”, “useless”. This version of the concept of “good” is often used both in literary and colloquial speech. However, when it is necessary to determine the meaning of the word discussed in this article, few people remember its possible negative connotation. Only the use of expressions such as “I don’t need such good things for nothing” reminds us that it also means a worthless, useless thing, which is completely opposite to its first two meanings.

Final information

Now you see what power and energy lies in true kindness. Understanding what kindness is, we become wiser. By doing good deeds, we not only help the people around us, but we ourselves become kinder, causing a response from them.

However, remember that it is better to help those who expect it from us. Otherwise, you may be disappointed in the good you have done and receive in response not gratitude, but reproaches and indignation. You should not provide unsolicited help; it is better to ask about problems and help only if they expect it from you.

Kindness is the most important part of a person’s spiritual state, which helps to interact productively with each other and be humane. Therefore, cultivate kindness throughout your life, because you can never have enough kindness. The main thing is to bring good into this world wisely, and then we will all become friendly, sincere, honest and caring.

Synonyms for "good"

There are quite a lot of lexemes with a similar meaning, especially considering the polysemy of the word.

The following words can tell us what goodness is in the literal sense: useful deed, benefit, benevolence, goodness, charity, donation, service, favor.
The meaning of property is “managed” by the following definitions: wealth, property, wealth, condition, belongings, belongings, belongings, junk, things.
Agreement in colloquial speech can be expressed by the words: excellent, good, there is such a thing, it’s going, agreed, wonderful, okay, please, okay, I agree, ready, have it your way, deal with it, so be it, so be it, be it in your opinion, so be it, if you please.

This ambiguous word has many synonyms.