Kindness is often described as a series of ethical behaviours that show consideration and goodwill to others. It is also sometimes seen as a virtue, something that is morally good of itself. Although it can be reciprocated, in its purest form it is often given without altruistically any thought for a return. An act of kindness might be showing compassion for someone or loyalty towards them. In many studies into personal relationships, it is how kind an individual considers their partner to be that usually plays a big part in their decision to get together. Some psychological studies seem to indicate that kindness might be an inherent behaviour in people. However, some people believe that is learned in early childhood about the same time that toddlers begin to get to grips with the concept of empathy.
Sign up to happiness today and join our kind community!
Meditation refers to a variety of mental exercises which have their origin in ancient times and became increasingly popular in the western world over the last decades. While meditating, we practice different kinds of focus to achieve a more mentally clear and emotionally calm and stable state.
Meditative practices were developed as part of the path towards enlightenment, self-realisation and the end of suffering. There are various types of meditation, such as focused attention, or mindfulness meditation, which is the most widely studied form of meditation in modern science. Metta or loving-kindness meditation is another example of focused attention. Other forms of meditation are the chanting of mantras or transcendental meditation.
Sign up to happiness today and join our friendly community!
A method for resolving disputes between two or more parties, mediation makes use of a neutral party who acts as an intermediary by allowing a channel for communications to occur. A typical example of mediation in action would be where a dispute has arisen between two neighbours who – both having become upset at one another and who no longer talk to each another. A mediator can be called upon in such circumstances to speak to each aggrieved neighbour to relay messages back and forth to try and resolve, either partially or fully, the cause of the issue. However, mediation is not merely a communications process. A good mediator will use a variety of techniques to promote potentially positive outcomes, often negotiating a revised position from one party that they then present to the other, asking for concessions in return. By improving dialogue, complaint resolutions through mediation become more likely, usually by asking each party to try and empathise with the other. Many professional mediators are trained and have qualifications in dispute resolution.