Be Known As A Kinder Person In 7 Days

Stop and listen.

When someone speaks to you, instead of trying to do two things at once, disconnect from whatever else you’re doing, stop, and pay attention to that person. Assume that the universe has put that person on your path for a reason.

Prepare to be kind by centering yourself.

Meditate, listen to something natural like the wind, or pay attention to the sound of your breathing and the full feeling of air in your lungs. Others pick up on your distress, and respond in kind. Centering yourself rids you of disquiet. Others will like you better, though they may not know why.

Use your hands.

If you go to a bar or a coffee shop, and want to know whether two or more people are connecting with one another, watch their hand movements. The more they match one another, the better their rapport. It’s called synchronization. Try it!

Acknowledge and appreciate others.

Notice and comment on something a co-worker, a friend or acquaintance does well.

Everyone on Earth has at least one special gift, and many of us are starving to have it recognized. Calmness with an angry customer, optimism, loyalty, a sense of humour, or an ability to imagine the best in someone who is not at their best. Notice it, and you’ll make that person glad.

Sit beside instead of opposite someone.

Smart maîtres d’hôtel sit couples beside one another. It transforms a conversation into a shared experience. If you’re having trouble empathizing with another person, try sitting beside them instead of opposite them. Doing that enables you to see what the other person sees. It also creates novelty, which the human brain craves. And, it’s a tangible gesture to the other person that you are making an effort to imagine what it’s like to be them.

Unleash the power of unexpected kindness.

Surprises grab your brain’s attention. There is nothing more surprising to us than finding out that an enemy has been kind and compassionate to us. Many political rivals become fast friends after one of them sends heartfelt condolences to the other.

Learn more about kindness in my new book…