Hari Om
Empathy is the awareness with understanding of feelings and emotions of others. When empathy is cognitive, it is just empathy or sometimes sympathy, when it is emotional, empathy can manifest as Kindness and when it results in acts of kindness for relieving others from suffering, they turn out to be acts of Compassion.
A good act of kindness can emanate from a person who shows compassion and love to another person. The gesture is lovingly (or compulsorily) done out of the person’s good nature (of heart), with absolutely no expectation of any kind of reciprocation.
These acts of kindness can be performed towards someone whom we know like a family member, friend, relative or sometimes even to an unknown stranger. We may perform an act of kindness towards others to make them feel happy, appreciated, motivated or valued.
Oftentimes, the act of kindness is contagious resulting in participation of others repeating or improving the act of kindness to help the beneficiary. When we do something kind to another person, often people will tell someone else about it or take action and do something kind for someone else or to the same person, if that person is in need of further help or assistance and therefore such actions will result in broadcasting a positive message about being kind-hearted.
The Bhagavad-gita explains that the best way to become good is to become godly. The Bhagavad-gita verses 12.13-14 proclaim that compassion for all living beings is the foremost value among the defining qualities of devotees. All living beings (be it human, animal or plant or any other being) are precious members of the one divine family (Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam) . Devotion for Lord Krishna is complete only when it includes all those whom he loves.
adveṣhṭā sarva-bhūtānāṁ maitraḥ karuṇa eva cha
nirmamo nirahankāraḥ sama-duḥkha-sukhaḥ kṣhamī. – 12.13
santuṣhṭaḥ satataṁ yogī yatātmā dṛiḍha-niśhchayaḥ
mayy arpita-mano-buddhir yo mad-bhaktaḥ sa me priyaḥ – 12.14
Meaning: Those people are very dear to Me who are devoid of malice toward all living beings, who are friendly, kind and compassionate. They are free from material attachment to possessions and egotism, balance with equanimity in happiness and distress, and ever-forgiving. These devotees are ever-contented, firmly united with Me through devotion, self-controlled, firm in conviction, and dedicated to Me in mind and buddhi (intellect).
When compassion is a stand or position taken instead of it being part of inherent nature, one may give it up when they no longer need to look good. When compassion is an emotion, one may neglect it when something else makes one feel good. But when compassion is a foundation forming natural part of their character, being an integral attribute of the very purpose of one’s existence, then it remains forever and makes a lasting impact.
Benefits from the acts of empathy, kindness and compassion
Research studies have revealed or established that empathy, kindness, compassion and giving are always associated with one or more of following benefits:
• Enhanced happiness
• Positive mental health
• Healthy immune system
• Appreciable Reduction in anxiety, stress and depression
• Promoting relationships
• Increase in Longevity
• Social Recognition
• Positive feelings
• Improved Spiritual capabilities
• Assured Blessings from others and God
150 acts or ways of showing empathy, kindness and compassion are listed below:
1. To pray for the living and dead (including our forefathers/ancestors)
2. Posting frequent kind messages on social media posts
3. Expressing appreciation through writing a card or mail to your coworkers and friends
4. Reminding some good memory by sending your friend photos of themselves during their wedding day
5. Picking up the garbage we notice on the floor
6. Helping the family with routine tasks around the house
7. Enquiring the new neighbours on their needs
8. To do the best to ensure someone dying of terminal disease like cancer, dies with dignity
9. Showing a smiling face to all including strangers
10. Propagate / Advertise genuine charity Ads
11. Arranging breakfast, lunch or dinner for homeless
12. Sending kind message, gift or bouquet to someone on their birthday or Anniversary or for their new status or achievements.
13. Sending a thanking note to our teacher (former / present)
14. Doing the thing for someone who always nags us about
15. Sending a greeting card with sweets/savouries/ biscuits to kids in the orphanage on festival days or national holiday
16. Hearing with compassion and care, someone’s life struggles
17. Complimenting a friend or colleague
18. Sending a food gift basket for the family who recently lost someone in their family with love and concern
19. Forgiving instantly someone who hurt you
20. Giving generous tips or service charges to those working in the service industry
21. To make a conscious Call to a friend and enquire how they’re doing
22. Sending positive vibes to your enemy through forgiveness in our prayers
23. Throwing someone we care about a surprise birthday or Anniversary party
24. To spend our free time by Volunteering at a nonprofit organisation in addition to sending contribution if possible
25. Writing a positive review for a local business to benefit others
26. Donating blood to blood banks periodically
27. Frequently cheering or smiling at service boys/people coming home regularly such as a post man, dhobi, flower vendor or others
28. Visiting an elderly relative or sick at their place or old age home.
29. Making people laugh through jokes or mannerisms without any hurt.
30. Wishing someone with positivity for motivation
31. Loving people whole-heartedly without any fake thoughts.
32. Donating our old clothes frequently
33. Arranging food for a homeless person or inmates of a old age home.
34. Sending flowers or bouquet to someone on occasions wit positive and motivational message
35. Thanking through reminding someone who once helped us that his help is being appreciated always.
36. Hold the door open for someone who is behind to enter
37. Allowing children, old and women to go past us in a queue
38. Showing up punctually on time.
39. Allowing a car to pass in front of you
40. Creating with various Reasons and information – “Why I Love You” -– Letter or video” for someone we love or care about
41. Sharing compliments to friends we hear from other people about them
42. Sending timely condolence messages without fail to friends and relatives who’ve lost one of their kith and kin
43. Offering our seat in a bus or train to a person (especially old, sick, children or women) in need
44. Forwarding and posting on social media the messages and stories of random acts of kindness that we have received from strangers
45. Donating money to genuine religious and charitable projects
46. Sending a message to the boss of our coworker or friend to make him or her know about kind thing they did
47. Inviting our staff or workmen over for a dinner with us.
48. Spending quality time with loved ones of the family
49. Teaching what we know to someone who needs that knowledge
50. Sending some affordable help-package to a struggling friend
51. Offering to drive the neighbours kids to school along with ours
52. Returning something we borrowed without forgetting
53. Apologising when we mess up or we need to
54. Voluntarily helping to babysit for new parents
55. Cooking a favorite meal for someone who love surprisingly
56. Motivating a coworker to work for his promotion
57. Agreeing or volunteering to take care of a friend’s pet when they are on a vacation
58. Helping someone with our mind and time to complete their homework /studies
59. Giving away to friends or close neighbours our free coupons that can be redeemed for services
60. Distributing free umbrellas on rainy days to needy and underprivileged
61. Dedicating a song to someone on the radio /YouTube who is a music lover on occasions
62. Throwing a surprise family party so family and friends can make great memories
63. Leaving only positive messages in our status or profile section of social media Apps.
64. Meeting prisoners and arranging or giving motivational or transformational talks and sweets on important occasions.
65. Showing kindness by not forwarding or posting violent or negative / fake messages or news
66. Helping the burials of poor and orphans
67. Conducting or participate in blood, medical and charity camps of genuine foundations.
68. Helping an unemployed person to get a job through our contacts or influence
69. Playing with pets for a good amount of period (time)
70. Sharing the vegetables we have grown in our garden with friends and neighbors
71. Telling someone “I love you”, “Thank you”, or “So sweet of you” as as and when needed
72. Removing frequently hateful graffitis or hoardings in our neighbourhood
73. Voluntarily coming forward to fix something that broke
74. Starting the day with praise and appreciation of people we see
75. Rescuing or Saving cattle or animals that are in danger
76. Putting our phone in silent mode or switch off mode when we are with someone
77. Make someone with no children feel positive with our children’ gestures
78. Never omit someone in a conversation or chat
79. Standing up against someone being bullied
80. Praising and appreciating others writings, works, compositions and creativity
81. Paying for a needy student’s education
82. Buying someone in need groceries and essentials
83. Pulling out or grabbing someone by their shirt or hand if they cross the street carelessly without paying attention
84. Offering a small pack of tissues in case we find someone crying
85. Surprising someone who can’t afford Festival (such as Deepavali or Pongal) purchases with free gifts
86. Spending sometime on the phone on regular basis for Healing, with someone who has psychological / psychiatric diseases or disorders
87. Make someone with anxiety feel safe and secured
88. Counsel positively someone struggling with depression and suicidal thoughts or struggling with bad habits
89. Arranging a special snack or medicine for a person with severe dietary / medical restrictions
90. Spending time with our kids or grandchildren telling bedtime stories/moral stories
91. Helping spouse in preparing breakfasts or cooking on holidays
92. Voluntarily offering help to take pictures of tourists struggling to take a selfie or snapshot
93. Leaving a positive or encouraging comment on a blog post you enjoyed
94. Introducing two people who should meet each other for their own good
95. Arranging two compatible friends or known people to meet each other and date
96. Exchanging matrimonial information with our friends and relatives for making a good alliance for marriage of someone
97. Inviting a new coworker for lunch
98. Helping the handicapped without making them reminded of their limitation
99. Buying something based on need / want, frequently when affordable from our friend’s new business
100. Being patient with a friend or someone who is not trained
101. Using only recyclable materials avoiding harmful habits and practices
102. Cooking or assisting the cook for making food for friends and family
103. Donate toys / gifts / snacks to a children’s orphanage
104. Donate feminine hygiene (sanitary napkins) to a girls/women in an orphanage or to a home for destitute women
105. Helping with kind words a domestic abuse survivor to feel safe
106. Feeding birds, animals and cattle
107. Not forwarding posts or messages that may hurt or depress someone
108. Never asking or reminding about someone’s handicap, deficiency, lack of talent or shortcoming
109. Believing in someone who doesn’t believe in themselves
110. Planting and watering trees and plants whenever possible
111. Donating eyes and other organs after death
112. Loving ourselves
113. Sending a framed picture of someone with a deceased family member on the anniversary of their death
114. Speaking highly or appreciative of someone when that person is being gossiped about
115. Encouraging someone to pursue and achieve their positive dreams
116. Always we must pass on the the benefit of doubt to anyone
117. Fostering or Adopting a child from orphanage or poor friend if possible
118. Adopting a pet
119. Following up / counseling someone or a friend after important events of their life such as marriage, surgery, divorce or loss of a family member
120. Creating a scrapbook about a relation with a friend
121. Asking for details of a recipe of a delicious meal someone made over a meal
122. Donating meal cards or coupons to homeless people or beggars as and when we can
123. Not bargaining with poor street vendors
124. Organizing volunteer activities as a family along with other in society to spread goodness in community
125. Practicing humility by distributing newspaper to neighbors of our society on a Sunday or through such other acts
126. Treating women with respect and care and with gender equality gestures
127. Not hesitating to meet anyone who is in need
128. Donating positive reading materials to public places / offices
129. Sending positive messages to the wife or husband of our newly married friend telling them how fortunate they are to have our friend as a life partner in their life and sharing an interesting story of something nice he or she did for us
130. Sending a gift basket for public servants / health workers / security people or police with goodies while they are at work of public interest
131. Turning off the water tap that is not closed when it’s not being used
132. delivering by hand a get well card with flowers / bouquet to a friend in the hospital
133. Doing a virtual video chat /conferencing with a friend or relative who recently moved to a foreign country, along with his other friends
134. Donating educational kits, laptop, books, notebooks, pens and other items as per affordability for poor and needy students of the society
135. Organizing a sport or entertainment event /project for fundraising towards charity
136. Creating a homemade gift for someone to show the intensity of love
137. Watching someone’s favorite show with them without complaining
138. While in a elevator, Hold the door open for someone
139. To feed the hungry and the poor
140. To give water or a drink to the thirsty
141. To provide clothing to the naked
142. To visit and enquire about the sick
143. To counsel the doubtful and the confused
144. To clarify and instruct the ignorant and the deluded
145. To reprimand and restore sinners
146. To comfort the afflicted and the infected
147. To forgive offences responsibly
148. To tolerate wrongs patiently, to work towards correcting them
149. Remembering to pray for the world peace and happiness of Humanity and all living beings whenever possible in our prayers
150. To help maintain places of worship.
GF’ Blessings.
