“To live with care and kindness is all that is necessary. The rest reveals itself in due time.” ~ David R. Hawkins

Care and kindness can transform how we live.

We’re often told to change the world by doing important work. Yet, we tend to ignore the most fundamental type of work—the inner work that changes us.

In my view, as individuals, we cannot change the world. We might be able to affect some positive change in one tiny area of life, and that’s a good thing. However, the impact is short-lived, and we feel the need to do more, and more.

When we embrace care and kindness as a way of life, we may not change the world, but we will definitely change how we view and interact with the world.

Imagine if each one of us started seeing the entire world through the attentive eyes of love and compassion. How would the world respond (since it’s a mirror reflecting back what we perceive)?

To me this is the most valuable type of work.

Living with care and kindness makes us:

Lighter and happier: We meet our moments with deep love and appreciation, and feel at peace with life and everyone—no guilt, blame, or regret.

More open: When we’re not bogged down with the negativity of resistance (I don’t like this, I don’t want to do that) and expectations (this is how things should be) we clear our minds and hearts. Clarity and stillness allow intuitive whispers of insight and inspiration to be heard.

Care and kindness ultimately lead to the same thing: love and acceptance.

Now let’s look at care and kindness from a practical standpoint.

How to practice care and kindness

The first and most important step is to set the intention to do your best and to be kind—starting with yourself.

Consider the following.

Care

The way I view care in this context is loving attention. Let’s break it down.

Loving

To love is to accept, appreciate and enjoy the experience or person without drifting to the past or future, or wishing to be somewhere else. It’s about being with life, here and now.

Doing anything with joy transforms the doing.

It’s not easy sometimes to feel the joy. This doesn’t mean joy doesn’t exist, it’s always there, we’re just not looking for it. We usually find what we’re looking for.

When things look dull and boring, look for the magic, it’s there. No matter what it is you’re doing—taking a shower, painting a wall, reading a report, or working on your taxes—there is something to enjoy.

What we do may not have meaning, but it has incredible beauty and brilliance—if we look close enough.

We have the imagination and ability to see through the noise of conditioning and resistance—if we choose to. We just need to have an open mind and a receptive heart. We can then turn any task into a magical one of a kind endeavor worthy of love and joy.

See the brilliance in everything. Think of what it takes to construct a wall, to make a kitchen counter, to build cabinets, to manufacture a bus, or the skills to drive a bus. We take things for granted and forget all the incredible human ingenuity, and skills that created anything and everything.

Attention

The only thing we have at our disposal each and every moment is our conscious attention.

We’ve been programmed to escape and numb, but that doesn’t mean we can’t wake up and pay full attention to what we’re doing and experiencing.

Do things with unrelenting focus and joy, and you will excel in anything. Action becomes fluid and effortless, not rushed or resisted. With this mindset we get into the state of flow and stop worrying about time, outcomes, or expectations.

Kindness

Kindness is what sustains life, just like oxygen and sunshine.

Kindness as a way of life is:

Generosity of the heart: We forgive transgressions and let go of prejudices. We look for the best in ourselves and others. We give with the best of intentions, and without expecting anything in return.

Kindness is its own reward.

Gentleness of the soul: Compassion and empathy connect us to the unifying spirit within every living being. When we act with compassion, we express kindness in its highest form. We become one with everyone and everything.

When we live with care and kindness, we:

• Welcome this moment and what it brings with an open heart,
• Give every experience our full attention,
• Give everything our best and most loving effort,
• Let go of disappointments, mistakes, and grievances, and
• Let go of the moment as it leaves with grace and ease.

They say the devil is in the detail. But the opposite is also true: life (or God) is in the detail—one fleeting moment at a time.

“The commonplace and God are not distinct.” ~ David R. Hawkins

Life unfolds equally in the small and big, funny and sad, important and trivial, joyful and painful.

All moments can be lived with care and kindness … with love, attention and generosity. And when we do that, the world cannot help but change and respond back with more care and kindness.