Can kindness be taught?

Kindness is all about seeing with your heart. It is one of the most fundamental expressions of a human being. Can something as basic as breathing be taught to a newborn? Obviously not. The same goes for kindness. It is an innate thing present in every human. It’s crucial to understand that one cannot either have a kindness trait or lack it; neither is it a skill that could be worked upon. Some people may think that kindness can be taught from a young age but there is no need for it. Everyone in the world is kind; it’s just that they need to work on it.

Does that mean one can cultivate kindness?

Scientific studies have proven that ‘Human qualities indeed have a genetic correlation’. Thus, the basic human attributes that people think can be learned as we grow, are also partly genetic. But that does not mean kindness can’t be taught or learned. Instead, it would be apt to say that sometimes we may need nurturing. This could be because of life experiences, situations, or even the environment in which we have been brought up in. Of course, every one of us has different experiences; some good, some bad. So, we are bound to feel what we feel.

Kindness isn’t always easy

That doesn’t mean it comes with a cost. But unfortunately for some people, kindness may seem like a far-fetched idea. They could have had a bad childhood or may have been a victim of mistreatment. Because darker times call for pain, fear, despair, and struggle leading to extreme measures. Therefore, kindness will seem implausible. But that doesn’t mean they have extinguished it, rather it might be in a suspended state which can be rekindled with time.    

What does it take to be a kind-hearted person?

For real? It’s literally nothing. At times we notice some people are said to be incredibly kind. They may be a friend, relative, colleague, or acquaintance.  This makes us wonder what it is that they have in their DNA that we don’t. The answer will always be -nothing. We all have #TheKindnessGene. Kindness means different things to different people. The concept may be universal but everyone has their own perspectives, which is a given. All of us are born with it. But we react differently to different situations because at the end of the day we are our own people and nothing can change that.

Kindness is always within us

We all definitely would have come across this famous quote: Change is the only constant in life. It is nothing but the bare truth. Over time everything changes from our behaviour, style, beliefs, ideologies even people who are dear to us. But the only thing that remains constant other than the change itself would be compassion. And right away comes kindness. As it is a natural tendency that every human possesses. Or else without it, no way would our species have flourished and evolved. Another sign of kindness being an inherent trait is that we are attracted to people who are kind. In order to pick our potential partners, we do keep the attribute of ‘kindness’ at the top of our list of highly desirable traits.

Ability to change for good

If we think of Mother Teresa or Nelson Mandela, we consider them as kind souls. Not only them but many other philanthropists and people who fight for a cause are also considered to be kind-hearted. They are equally inspiring, right? It is because kindness has a ripple effect. Whether we recognize it or not, it most probably will influence our thoughts as well. It acts like a good contagious disease that could spread easily among humans. And the symptoms of it being, happiness. Thus, Happy individuals, a happier society.

Now what?

Embrace Kindness. Even though it might not always be easy to go through life, let’s try creating a better world. Every day we have a chance to influence the world in some way and if we choose kindness then it could contribute to making the world a happier place. And it also provides greater meaning to life itself. It’s time to flex #TheKindnessGene. Check out what the community has to say.

Get ready. Let’s be fashionably kind.

“Kindness is the only service that will stand the storm of life and not wash out. It will wear well and will be remembered long after the prism of politeness or the complexion of courtesy has faded away.”

—Abraham Lincoln