Kindness is one of those qualities that almost everyone admires but few think they need to study.
After all, kindness is simple, right? Be nice. Hold the door. Smile at strangers. Say thank you. Don’t say the thing you’ll regret later.
Either you are kind or you are not, end of story.
But the more we look at kindness and compassion, the more we discover they are not small ideas. They shape the way we see the world, the way we treat others, the way we speak to ourselves, the way we use our homes, the way we give, the way we listen, and even the way we respond to suffering.
That is why we chose “Kindness and Compassion” as the theme for this issue of Simplify Magazine.
We live in a world that often rewards the opposite. Hurry. Criticism. Comparison. Outrage. Self-protection. We are taught to look out for ourselves first and foremost.
But compassion invites us into a better way of living.
In this issue, we explore kindness and compassion from a wide variety of angles. You will find articles on self-compassion, the health benefits of kindness, the example of Jesus, the importance of asking better questions in our giving, and the surprising ways our homes and spaces can become more welcoming to others. You will also read personal stories about learning to begin the day with more grace and rediscovering the theme of kindness in one of the best-selling books of the last century.
The contributors to this issue include best-selling authors, a pioneer in the field of self-compassion research, a science journalist published in some of the world’s leading publications, a behavioral scientist and professor, a nonprofit executive, a former executive editor of Guideposts, and gifted writers who bring both personal stories and practical wisdom to this important topic.
As always, my hope is that this issue will do more than inform you. I hope it will invite you. The world does not need merely more successful people, busy people, or accomplished people. It needs more compassionate people.
And that begins with us.
With you on this journey,
Joshua Becker
Founder, Simplify Magazine
Already a member? Click here to log in to your account.