Kindness or People Pleasing?

One of the reasons kindness is often perceived as weakness, is that kindness is confused with pleasing. And nothing could be further from truth: kindness is not about people pleasing at all.

People pleasing is operating from a place of weakness

You give your power and authenticity away to chase the approval from someone else. Desperately looking for outside approval, being overly dependent on the appreciation of someone else, is a sign that you think that without that approval or appreciation, you are not worthy.

Kindness is very different. Kindness is a choice, kindness comes from a powerful place within you.

When you are able to be kind to a rude person, it is because you know that the rudeness of the other person has nothing to do with you.

It requires self-discipline and a very strong sense of self-confidence and self-esteem to stay kind to a rude person, to stay outside the negativity of the unkind one, and to not be triggered by it.

A kind person is a person who has dealt with his inner demons, his insecurities and old wounds, who has done a lot of personal work and has come to a great self-understanding, a deep compassion and wisdom.

A kind person doesn't need any approval or appreciation for his/her act of kindness and does it because he so much understand the human condition, and knows the power of a kind words, a kind gesture.

So stop people pleasing, stop chasing outside approval (there is nothing wrong with feeling grateful for appreciation and support as long as you do not become dependent on it and start changing your behavior in order to get more approval and appreciation).

Live from a place where you know at your core that you are a loving, kind and worthy being and share that with the world.

Your kindness, your strong sense of self-worth, dignity and grace will spill over to those around you; you become an inspiration and role model for others. And those role models of powerful kindness are so much needed in the world today.

May you be guided by kindness in all you say and do.

Much love, Barbara

PS If you want to explore how to adopt a kind, detached and powerful way of living, 'The Path of Powerful Kindness' might be something for you. You can check it out here: https://www.amazon.com/Path-Powerful-Kindness-Return-Humanness/dp/B0CM18MG4M/