Random acts of kindness and personal altruism in practice

Kindness

One of the magnificent means of reaching across space and time with the main aim of touching the lives of people is through performing random acts of kindness. Making public and educating individuals on the importance of kindness certainly makes the world a better place. In each stride course of expanding knowledge there exists a chance to go deeper; to discover more about the capabilities of our divine nature. This is similar to kindness. Acts of kindness are actually not hard to perform. A motive is established, and you do it. It makes one feel very good (Random Acts of Kindness, n.d.).

Personal Encounter

Personally, I believe that there is nothing more fulfilling than doing a pleasant thing for another person. Just a few weeks ago I was at the corner store, and there was a woman standing ahead of me in line. When she was requested by the cashier to pay $38.00 she appeared to be very confused. She just had approximately $5.00 inside her wallet, and she started crying. The cashier became quite irritated with her and informed her that she could not purchase those things since she did not have sufficient funds. I told the cashier not to worry about the issue and that I would actually top up the difference that existed. I was given a funny look by the cashier; however, I really sympathized with this lady (Random Acts of Kindness, n.d.).

After paying for my groceries and leaving the store, I found the same lady standing outside. I decided to ask her what was bothering her. She told me she could not recall where she stayed and then busted into tears. I mentioned the name of some few streets in the vicinity but she had no idea. Just as I was speaking to the woman, a vehicle pulled up and a lady frantically jumped out of it. It was the woman's daughter. I told her that her mother had no clue of where she stayed. The daughter informed me that her mother suffered from Alzheimer's disease and that she had been straying of late. Later, the daughter realized that her mother had 3 grocery bags and wondered she had gotten the cash to pay for them. Though I was not quite certain whether to tell her that I was the one who paid for them, I still did (Random Acts of Kindness, n.d.).

The daughter wanted to refund me my money but I refused. I felt quite sorry for them since they did not appear like a well-off family. The daughter was very grateful. I felt very fulfilled and jovial all day long. I would actually do the same thing if I found myself in a similar situation again (Random Acts of Kindness, n.d.).

How does altruism improve the human condition? Are there limits to altruism?

Altruism is capable of improving both the physical as well as the psychological well-being of an individual. Hence, the internal reward of altruism- the feeling of satisfaction after performing a random act of kindness- not only counteracts negative thoughts and emotions which are harmful to the human condition but also the negative thoughts and emotions of the people who received assistance. However, there are limits to altruism. Such limits occur when altruism has the potential of jeopardizing the well0being of an individual or that of clients.

What are some personal and professional responsibilities related to altruism?

In both professional and personal regards, an individual ought to behave in an unselfish manner for commitment to other people when need be. Social-responsibility is a notion whereby people must assist other individuals in need without interest in rewards on both a personal and professional level. Co-dependency refers to a behavior which is learned by someone and can influence their ability to create or sustain a healthy and mutually fulfilling relationship. Altruism is applicable to psychological principles in the sense that it is the means through which psychologists assist their patients.

What is the future of psychology, specifically in relation to altruism, in contemporary society?

The present and prospective psychologists ought to be altruistic psychologists who are helpful and care about the well-being of their clients without the consideration for rewards. The future psychology relies on psychologists and other related professionals acting according to altruistic concepts and who aim to attend to patients genuinely (Whitaker, 2014).