Kindness

Rediscover kindness and rediscover your worth

Have you ever helped someone out of instinct, becausenot helping never even occurred to you? Remember how surprised you were at their gratitude? It is easy to feel like kindness and gratitude are becoming rare in the world today, but the truth is that it is all around you you just need to learn how to see it.Kindness shows you how to do just that, and inspires you to take part with tips, ideas, recommendations and advice. You will learn to see yourself and your surroundings in a kinder, happier way.

Kindness is not people-pleasing; people-pleasing comes from a place of anxiety, while kindness is borne out of empathy. Kindness expects no reward or recognition, and is just as beneficial to the giver as the receiver. Kindness can be a grand gesture, or something as simple as a smile. It can be quiet or loud, simple or complex. This book helps you internalise the fundamental truth that kindness does not require wealth or possessions, or material giving at all whatever you have to offer is enough, and it may just change someones life. Learn how to:

• See the silver lining and take care of yourself in difficult times.
• Do and say kind things when you're not feeling very kindly.
• Sustain the warm feelings that come from helping others.
• Express kindness even when other people are rude or critical.
• Enjoy self-care and treating yourself.

Opportunities to be kind present themselves every day, and here youll learn how to notice them. Your self-esteem and confidence will grow as you discover the pure joy of helping others, and youll feel more comfortable allowing others to help you. In a world where kindness seems to get lost in the shuffle of worry, anxiety, aggression and worse,Kindness shows you how to bring it back into the light.

Gill Hasson is a careers coach with over 20 years' experience in the areas of personal& career development. She is also a teacher for mental health organisations, and delivers training for adult education organizations, voluntary and business organizations and the public sector. She is the bestselling author of a number of books on personal wellbeing, includingMindfulness andEmotional Intelligence.

Introduction 1

Part 1 Being Kind to Others 9

1 Being Kind 11

2 Kindness and Empathy 25

3 Go Out of Your Way to Make a Difference 51

4 Kindness and Respect 79

5 Be Kind When Others are Rude and Inconsiderate 103

Part 2 Being Kind to Yourself 125

6 Dont Be So Hard on Yourself; Be Kind 127

7 Kindness When Your Life is Really Difficult 147

8 Feel Good About Yourself 169

Useful Websites 181

About the Author 183

Index 185