What’s all this talk about kindness?

Kindness builds trust and creates a safety net for all types of relationships.

Behaving kindly describes who we must be in our relationships.

It includes:

     - how we treat each other

     - how we speak to each other

     - how we speak about the other person to other people

     - how the other person feels in our relationship

When you are consistently kind and considerate, over time, the other person gains a sense of safety in the relationship.

Think about this:

If the other person doesn’t experience you as kind, he or she may instead feel insecure, needy, angry, standoffish, or uncomfortable in the relationship.

Other “negative” emotions come into play because there is no sense of security between the two of you.

Whether at home or work, if you're unkind, the other person won't entirely trust you.

Trust, intimacy, and vulnerability occur when we feel that the other person “has our back.”

Yet, when trust breaks down, we immediately retreat, feeling that the relationship may not be safe or healthy.

On the other hand, simple and consistent acts of kindness create change and bring hope to struggling relationships.

"I am going to be kind, not mean or sarcastic" is Step 2 of the Relationship Protocol model.

Kindness is a necessary component for healthy relationships to thrive.

Caring about how the other person feels is being relational, and because the other person matters to you, your goal should be to treat them well and create a safe and trusting environment.

Don’t underestimate the power of a simple gesture of kindness.