Practice Kindness

"My religion is very simple. My religion is kindness."

I recently saw this quote from the Dalai Lama on a friend's Facebook wall and it stuck with me. It sounds so easy, yet so few practice it.

I strive very hard to be kind. Like most, I fail at this often. I focus on myself, get lost in self-pity, fret about where my next gig will come from, worry about money. It's hard to be kind to others when all your attention is on yourself. I've never been happy when being self-centered.

Living in LA, a notoriously self-indulgent town, makes for a great case study on the relationship between kindness and happiness. Self-absorption is the rule in Hollywood. It's a very competitive town and people give off this vibe that they're constantly measuring themselves against those around them. Not since being a lawyer in a large firm have I witnessed so many unhappy people with so much to be happy about. 

Yes, we are all in a race, it is the race of life. We aren't competitors; we're companions. As the Dalai Lama said, “If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion.”  

I am going to be more kind. I am going to be less selfish. I will fail at it, but I will fail better each time. There is more than enough cruelty and negativity in the world - it doesn't need me to add more. It costs zero dollars to be kind yet its impact is invaluable.

Make the world a better place today. Be kind. 

 

(photo courtesy of Getty Images)

-- Gabriel Voss