Harbor Insights - December 2024
Article by Nicholas DeSena
Psychologists Christopher Peterson and Martin Seligman took it upon themselves to think up 24 universal character strengths of a human being.These strengths are demonstrated by cultures all over the globe. They range from social intelligence and love to prudence and zest; but perhaps the most important is that of the simplest nature: kindness.
Kindness is a virtue. To be kind is to be human, whether it’s to others, your environment, or yourself. While being kind to those around you is of the utmost importance, being kind to yourself is often neglected. For example, if you put 87 in your brand new Porsche instead of the 91 it needs, your more than capable machine suddenly becomes a lemon. Similar to actual machines, our bodies perform the best when they have the correct fuel. Making sure you are kind to your body by giving it the healthy food, water, minerals, and vitamins it needs is the first step to having a great day.
For your body, the best fuel of all is sleep. While we sleep, our body repairs and recuperates for the following day. Staying up late scrolling through your phone may keep you content in the moment, but that alarm early the next morning will always make you regret spending a bit too long on social media before bed. As a Safe Harbor Intern but also a teenager, I sometimes find myself struggling with this exact scenario. Whenever I find myself scrolling on my phone when I have a commitment the next morning, I ask myself, “Why am I not sleeping?” The question itself helps ask yourself what you actually are doing. While taking in seemingly useless information from 30 second videos is quite entertaining, what would my future self say to me when my 7:00 AM alarm for school goes off? Think of your future self and put the phone down. You’ll thank me in the morning :)
To pivot, it is also very important to be kind to others. One of the first things we learn as children is ironically one of the most important rules to live your life by; treat others how you want to be treated. As a high school student, I hear, see, and live through petty drama that exists throughout my school’s social scene. One thing that I have found to be absent is the aspect of kindness. Meaningless beef, trivial verbal clashes, and more could all be avoided simply by being kinder to one another. Everybody is unique, and while that may invite criticism, if everybody was the same then life would be dull. Instead of dragging on each other's anomalies, we as a people should learn to celebrate them. What makes us unique is what makes us human, and to tease someone for their uniqueness is hypocritical. If we all are uniquely human in our own ways, then I see no reason to make fun of someone for the way they choose to be human.
Being kind to your community should also be a paramount moral in everyone’s lives, particularly Coronadians. We are blessed to live in a great town with great people, great parks, great businesses, and much more. Giving back to your community just by treating your fellow community members with kindness is not only good for the general public, it also makes you feel good! Don’t throw your can on the sidewalk, throw it out in the next trash can. Work on island? Try biking in the morning to save your well-earned cash and the environment. These and other little changes in your lifestyle can help you feel better about your community.
To wrap up, kindness doesn’t need to be grandeur actions that stand out. Perhaps the best forms of kindness are small acts of helping a neighbor out or complimenting a friend’s outfit. By embracing kindness in all its forms, we create a more uplifting and compassionate environment for all those around us.