How to Share Loving Kindness Throughout the Year

Special Time of Year

About this time of year, the holiday season seems to bring out the best in everybody. Not only are there typically more smiles, but there seems to be a certain magic in the air. Celebration is the oft-cited word. 

I know when I was a child, this was my favorite time of year–it still is. Of course, when I was younger, there were certainly the presents that created the biggest excitement, not to mention a nice long winter vacation. Those were the best parts of the holiday. 

Theme of the Holidays

However, I even remember adults around me at the time also displaying a greater sense of joy and happiness. More people seemed to be smiling than they usually were throughout the rest of the year. Of course, last minute shopping craziness and stress gets thrown into the mix (we need to relax), but still overall, the majority of people were feeling more positive. Why was that? Why is that still happening?

When you carefully examine the theme behind the holiday season, you discover the root cause behind the smiling faces and joyous atmosphere: Loving Kindness. We all take time out to stop and think of others. We give them gifts, share our warmth and love, while all along stay thankful for having them in our lives. Regardless of the gift size, we’re not expecting anything in return since we’re offering it out of kindness.

What is Loving Kindness?

That’s the definition of loving kindness–loving others unconditionally, with compassion and equanimity. This is a challenging exercise, requiring us to push back against assumptions, judgmental tendencies and prejudices. The phrase “loving kindness” sounds at first to be something most can’t possibly achieve, something beyond our grasp. 

However, loving kindness is actually very simple. True loving kindness is just a loving or kind thought for others without expecting anything in return. It's actually quite easy to do. 

This might include several easy things: picking up the newspaper for your neighbor; paying for the coffee for the person in line behind you; picking up a piece of litter; giving a homeless person your spare change (it doesn’t have any real value to you…that’s why it’s called “spare”); smiling at a stranger to make their day just a little nicer; just offering to volunteer; sending someone a nice thank you note for just being themselves. These are all examples of how easy loving kindness can be.

Why Does Loving Kindness Appear Only at the Holidays?

So if loving kindness can be so easy, why does it seem to be reserved for only the holiday season? Why can’t we do this all year long? Imagine for a moment if the happy, joyous, kind-hearted atmosphere of the holidays stretched throughout the year. The world would be in such a beautiful place then. Humanity wouldn’t have all the issues and predicaments it currently faces.

I encourage you to extend your loving kindness for the rest of the year. Think about how you would feel if everyone else did too. Wouldn’t you feel wonderful? The great part of this is that it takes no further effort on your part, other than making the intention that you’ll share your loving kindness with others all year long. Simple as that. 

Many people say they can’t make an impact on the world. As you can see, it’s quite easy to have a significant impact on others by just putting a little effort or thought into your actions. You can share loving kindness all year long.

This will be my last blog post until 2023, since I'll be taking a break as we head into the end of the year. I'll see you next year. I hope your holidays are magical! 

P.S. If you think your friends would benefit from this article, please share it with them.

Tags: loving kindness, giving, Christmas, holidays, joy, happiness, spirit, living spiritually, charity