How Love, Kindness, and Compassion Make a Difference in the World
Love, Kindness, and Compassion might seem a little too idealistic at first glance, but their impact on the world is too real, and science stands behind it.
These forces for good can have an effect on the individual scale by promoting well-being and good health and on the global scale by nurturing positive relationships and connections between people, and indeed, all other beings.
The Domino Effect of Kindness
We get frustrated at times, that’s an inescapable part of living, but when we put those negative emotions out there, they tend to have a ripple effect. The person you yell at in the street or while
waiting in a lengthy queue can go home and relieve his frustration on his wife or kids. Those kids wouldn’t understand what their dad has been through and would fight with each other or become bullies at school. That will go on and on, and so many more people will be affected.
But in the same vein, if you treat others with kindness, they will appreciate it, feel good about it, and treat others rightly in turn. The ripple effect can go both ways.
Gratitude may seem like a simple emotion, but it inspires further kindness and transforms lives.
In one study, conducted by Professors of psychology David DeSteno and Monica Y. Bartlett, participants who received a favor from others and were grateful for it were more willing to participate in another, more daunting study when asked.
Love Gives Life Meaning
There is no doubt about the indispensable role that love plays in filling our lives with meaning, and when it’s lost, we can feel the devastation it leaves behind.
By giving us a higher meaning in life, love will not only help us live better and healthier lives, but it can foster stronger connections with other people, as well as incentivize us to engage in social and cultural activities.
Love can be an incentive for growth, for constantly trying to be a better version of ourselves, and can at the same time contribute to forming a better version of the world for us all.
The National Academy of Sciences has reported that leading a life full of meaning can lead to improved health and well-being. It also lowers the risks of divorce, living alone, and projecting negative emotions on others.
Cultivating Compassion for a Better Future for All
Making the future better for everyone comes down, in no small part, to cultivating a compassionate lifestyle.
Compassion, alongside love and kindness, is a force for good. It is crucial for dealing with social issues, such as corruption in business, government, and throughout our lives. It’s significant not just on the individual but on the global scale as well.
While exercising compassion can contribute to improved health, longevity, and happiness for individuals, institutions that create policies based on care and less on greed will see the world thriving.
So what propels people to be compassionate? To serve food to the needy, feed a stray dog, or help a neighbor fix a car? This research published in The Association For Psychological Science states that leading a compassionate lifestyle is that the act of giving is as pleasurable as the act of receiving, if not more so.