Coaching Practiced

49 Positive psychology techniques – Random Acts of Kindness and Consistent Acts of Kindness and Empathy

Jonathan Passmore & Lindsay G. Oades

Abstract

In this techniques paper we explain how using random acts of kindness can be built into consistent acts of kindness and empathy, helping clients build, hope, self-regard as well as long-term physical health.

Keywords

Random Acts of Kindness; RAK; Consistent Acts of Kindness; CAKE empathy; Positive Psychology Coaching (PPC)..

Original publication details: Passmore, J., & Oades, L. G. (2015, December). Positive psychology techniques – Random acts of kindness and consistent acts of kindness and empathy. The Coaching Psychologist, 11(2), 90–92. Reproduced with permission of The British Psychological Society.

Random acts of kindness are selfless acts performed by a person wishing to either help or positively affect the emotional state (mood) of another person. Anne Herbert, a journalist, claims to have invented the phrase in a call to others to ‘Practice random kindness and senseless acts of beauty’, back in 1982 while sitting in a restaurant in Sausalito, California. Whether this is truth or myth, the idea certainly pre-dates positive psychology. It may be argued that kindness has its roots in religion. Jesus preached the idea of showing kindness not just to friends, but to those we don’t like, those who have different values or lifestyles to us, and our enemies; ‘If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even ...