Mindfulness Monday: Kindness

Join Dr. Laura Smallwood as we discuss kindness. Specifically, how does 'kindness' differ from 'being nice'. We discuss how true kindness originates from love and interconnectivity, whereas being nice is based on transactional motivation, where we are hoping for a specific outcome based on our actions. As Dr. Laura states: "When my heart is oriented toward kindness,  my thoughts and actions will be guided by that rather than the motivation to try to control the other person or the situation.  This frees me from the need for things to turn out a certain way so I am less likely to experience disappointment and anger when they don’t.  True kindness is psychologically healthier for us because it is its own reward—it is not outcome dependent."

Embracing true kindness instead of "niceness" helps us become better people, better professionals, and can improve our performance at work by reducing the shackles and increased bandwidth taken up by our expectations and the desire to control outcomes. And like other mindfulness-related skills, kindness can be practiced and cultivated through Loving Kindness meditation.

Episode Resources and Recommendations:

Link to Dr. Smallwood's Loving Kindness Meditation

Start Where You Are: A Guide to Compassionate Living by Pema Chödrön

Lovingkindness: the Revolutionary Art of Happiness by Sharon Salzberg

Real Happiness at Work: Meditations for Accomplishment, Achievement, and Peace by Sharon Salzberg