7 Ways You Can Make Kindness a Part of Your Daily Routine

7 Ways You Can Make Kindness a Part of Yur Daily Routine7 Ways You Can Make Kindness a Part of Your Daily RoutineTheres every reason in the world to be kind to others- your co-workers, your friends, your neighbors, and everyone you meet. However, recent studies show that when you are kind to others, you will benefit, too.According to research conducted by Dr. Sonja Lyubomirsky, psychology hochschulprofessor at University of California, Riverside, when students were assigned to do five random acts of kindness per week for a period of six weeks, their levels of happiness increased by 41.66%.Being kind has a profoundly positive effect on happiness. So when you make kindness a habit, youll be happier as a result. Here are seven ways to do just that.1. Mean Everything You DoAs crazy as it seems, the easiest way to make something a habit is to find a reason why youre doing the action in the first place. When you compliment people on their clothing or when you congratulate a friend for rece iving an amazing job offer, dont immediately retract your statement with recoiling feelings of resentment. You said it because you meant it wouldnt it feel great to show appreciation again?2. Realize That Kindness Doesnt Have to Be DifficultThere are ways to be kind all around us, hiding right under our noses. People often think that the only route to kindness is long and elaborate, but what they dont realize is that we can all take little steps to ensure we are being kind every single day. Leave the door open for the person behind you. Ask your morning barista how her day is going. The smallest words may seem insignificant, but theres a very good reason why the little things take you far in life.3. Set a Goal of Compassion Each MorningWhen you wake up, make sure to decide on one specific action you will do to be kind that day. As with developing any habit, increasing our kindness requires an active effort. Goal setting is an easy way to spur our success. Finding one reason to be ki nd every day can be an important wake-up call to remind ourselves of all the good in our lives.4. Show AppreciationPerhaps the most easily forgotten trait of kindness is appreciation, since we have been taught to do it so often that we just take it for granted. Saying a simple thank you takes less than 10 seconds to do, but its impact can have long lasting effects. We never know how much better a simple phrase will make someone feel, so thank your co-workers for the things they do for you- no matter how small. Eventually, theyll begin finding reasons to thank you, too.5. Find a CauseIts important to find things we believe in to demonstrate our goodwill. Finding something you believe in- whether it be a conversation, a charity, or helping a friend talk through his or her problems- makes everything that much more enjoyable. After all, who doesnt love being kind?6. Be Kind to YourselfIn all the hubbub of helping everyone else, dont forget to be kind to yourself. We are all important, s pecial people- and we deserve to be treated with that kind of respect. Its hard to remember to do this when things get tough, but the only real way to help others is by helping ourselves first. So, be kind to yourself. Your mind and your body will thank you.7. Smile MorePerhaps the easiest thing to do of all, smiling gives the strongest impression of kindness. Even if you sometimes have trouble accessing the energy to light up with a grin, making a conscious effort to smile tells your audience without words that you are trying to exert a kind gesture. If a strangers smile has ever made you give one in return, dont hesitate. Smile. The small act of kindness may make your day.More From Inc.7 Things You Say That Make You Sound Old at WorkHow to Take Vacation When Work Never Stops11 Affirmations Successful People Repeat Every Single DayPhoto of smiling woman courtesy of Shutterstock.