Kindness is the quality of being considerate, compassionate, generous, gentle, and caring towards others without expecting anything in return. Often described as a virtue, kindness is also a strength—in fact, it may be one of humanity's greatest superpowers. Kindness enriches our relationships with friends, family, neighbors, and coworkers. Kindness opens our hearts to perfect strangers, both those we encounter in our daily lives and those who live continents away. What's more, kindness is good for our health—a finding backed by numerous studies and brain science. Practicing kindness increases levels of oxytocin and serotonin, the "feel-good" hormones, and decreases feelings of stress, anxiety, and depression. Perhaps best of all, kindness is contagious: kind acts often have a ripple effect.
So, why not make a pact with yourself to be a kinder person? And whenever you need a little encouragement or gentle reminder, turn to these 25 quotes from authors who understand the power of kindness and express it quite remarkably.
1. "Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about." -,
2. "There is no wrong way to perform an act of kindness." -,
3. "You can't live a perfect day without doing something for someone who will never be able to repay you." -,
4. "But remember, boy, that a kind act can sometimes be as powerful as a sword." -,
5. "You don't always have to chop with the sword of truth. You can point with it too." -,
6. "Be a little kinder than you have to." -,
7. "You know, some things don't matter that much...Like the color of a house. How big is that in the overall scheme of life? But lifting a person's heart—now, that matters." -,
8. "When you are behaving as if you loved someone, you will presently come to love him. If you injure someone you dislike, you will find yourself disliking him more. If you do him a good turn, you will find yourself disliking him less." -,
9. "All I'm saying is, kindness don't have no boundaries." -,
10. "Because I haven't yet learned the simplest and most important thing of all: the world is difficult, and we are all breakable. So just be kind." -,
11. "People shouldn't have to earn kindness. They should have to earn cruelty." -,
