In the world we live in, kindness is rarely appreciated and is often taken advantage of—simply because people can.
If you offer your kindness openly and without boundaries, many will exploit it. Even those you personally invite into your life may take your generosity for granted, expecting you to put in all the effort while they simply sit back asking for more.
It’s a harsh truth, and it explains why genuinely kind people are increasingly rare. Some may even view kindness as weakness—and they’re right, but only if you lack the strength needed to protect it.
What’s the solution? Should we simply abandon kindness altogether?
We could remove kindness entirely from our interactions, but there is another way: become strong enough to protect our kindness from being exploited.
Strength paired with firm boundaries is the key. Boundaries communicate clearly: “This is who I am, and this is what I expect from you if you wish to be part of my life.” Strength is necessary because people will continually test these boundaries, looking for ways to benefit at your expense.
Not everyone will agree with your boundaries. Some will respect them even if they don’t fully understand or agree with them, while others will neither accept nor respect them. These are individuals with limited mindsets and little imagination. Unable to challenge your logic directly, they resort to subtle gestures and indirect hints—like empty bullets making noise but causing no real harm. It’s essential to realize these gestures are harmless as long as you maintain your boundaries.
You might wonder, “Why go through all this effort? Why not simply stop caring?”
The answer, hidden in plain sight, is that the world doesn’t need more cruelty or indifference—it desperately craves kindness, empathy, and understanding.
We have all heard Gandhi’s powerful words, “Be the change you want to see in the world,” but very few take the time to reflect deeply on their meaning or visualize the potential results. If we truly consider this, we’ll realize without a doubt that kindness, protected by strength and boundaries, is the simplest and most effective way to build a better, brighter future.
