To be selfish and self-centered in a self-consumed society is easy; there are a million and one reasons not to care about others. This is why it takes a truly good person to be genuinely interested in others, regardless of personal struggles or a bad experience.
If you’re reading this, I’m guessing you want to learn how to be more compassionate and help others as much as possible while offering a kind word. I’ll share 9 ways to lead a more giving and caring life and drive the point home with quotes about being a good person.
Let’s get right into it.
1. Put Yourself in Other People’s Shoes
Before rushing to offer help, take time to understand people’s plight first. Practicing empathy means walking a mile in someone else’s shoes to get a little bit of an idea of what they are going through.
You can’t show the right care if you can’t connect with people on a deep level.
Indeed, financial assistance certainly has its place, but leading a more giving life isn’t always about money or material stuff. And here are two good person quotes that say it better:
- “If you want to make a difference in someone’s life, you don’t need to be gorgeous, rich, famous, brilliant, or perfect. You just have to care.” – Karen Salmansohn
- “Sometimes, it is how you shine in the darkness during other people’s misery that is remembered more than anything you could have said or done when you have suffered just as much.” – Shannon L. Alder
2. Let Your Actions Show You Care
Being a good and caring person goes beyond making promises; just about anyone can make promises. The real challenge is following through on your promises.
Let your actions of goodness show that you care more than your words will ever say. In other words, speaking less ― making fewer promises ― and doing more is a better way to show you care.
Of course, no one is perfect, and you may occasionally have to let people down. Again, apologizing alone isn’t enough. Your actions, not just words, should show that you truly want to make amends.
Here are three short quotes about being a good person who shows care through actions:
- “Well done is better than well said.” – Benjamin Franklin
- “Words are from the lips, actions are from the heart.” – Rashida Costa
- “The superior man acts before he speaks, and afterward speaks according to his actions.” – Confucius
3. Give Your Time
Most people wear “busy” as a badge nowadays, but it’s hard to show how much you care and show you are a great person without donating your time to the people who matter most to you.
Time is our most precious commodity. That’s why giving your time to others is one of the greatest ways to show you care.
Let the following good person quotes encourage you to be more giving of your time, especially to the important people in your life:
- “To a child, love is spelled T-I-M-E.” – Zig Ziglar
- “When you give someone your time, you are giving them a portion of your life that you’ll never get back. Your time is your life. That is why the greatest gift you can give someone is your time.” – Rick Warren
4. Help in Whatever Way You Can
Have you noticed you get a heightened sense of satisfaction when you do something selfless, especially to help others and humanity in some way?
It turns out that helping others and showing compassion isn’t just for their benefit; a good deed or a kind word can reduce stress and make you feel healthier, too!
In 2013, researchers found the very first concrete evidence proving that helping others is a stress-buffering mechanism. The study shows helping behavior is associated with reduced mortality and positive health outcomes.
If you’re looking to lead a more giving and caring life, actively seek opportunities to be kind and nice to others. These qualities don’t make you weak; they prove you’re a good person.
Here are two quotes to remind you to be kind.
- “The speed of modern life is an oppressive thing, and the corporate world is quick to punish those with an honest heart. Qualities such as ‘nice, honest, kind, happy, relaxed, sincere, innocent’ are frowned upon as weaknesses. Yet these values are the essence of a good person. Unfortunately, if you don’t keep the balance, they can be lost like sand through your fingers.” – Fennel Hudson
- “The most wonderful gift one human being can give to another is in some way to make that person’s life a little bit better to live.” – John Assaraf
5. Be a Good Person, Not a “Yes” Person
If you always like to please people, this will probably sting a little. Actually, scratch that; it will hurt a lot!
Here’s the thing.
Leading a more giving and caring life isn’t about saying yes to everyone. Remember, being a good person doesn’t make you a pushover; you must be honest with the people you care about.
For example, give honest feedback, give advice truthfully, and tell people when they are wrong. The key is to be respectful and avoid being nit-picky. You want to pick your battles carefully so you don’t push away the people you care about.
People will love, respect, and want to seek your opinion if they know that you are reliable and not just a “yes” person who cares more about being perceived as good than being a truly caring person.
Here are a few quotes about being a good person that highlights this fact:
- “When you face a choice between being polite and being honest, err on the side of the truth. It’s better to be disliked but respected than to be liked but disrespected. In the long run, the people we trust the most are those who have the courage to be sincere.” – Adam Grant
- “A nice person is a ‘yes’ person, whereas a good person is a person who accepts their responsibility in things and moves forward and tries to constantly evolve and isn’t afraid to say no or challenge someone or be honest or truthful.” – Miranda Kerr
6. Help Others Succeed
Personal success is great, but leading a more giving and caring life means thinking beyond personal interests alone.
Actively look for people who need help around you, and be intentional about asking them how you can help. Do whatever you can to help them find success. This gives you a greater sense of purpose.
Remember these quotes whenever you need a little nudge to help others:
- “Success to me is being a good person, treating people well.” – David LaChapelle
- “I prefer to win titles with the team ahead of individual awards or scoring more goals than anyone else. I’m more worried about being a good person than being the best football player in the world. When all this is over, what are you left with? When I retire, I hope I am remembered for being a decent guy.” – Lionel Messi
- “Be good to people. You will be remembered more for your kindness than any level of success you could possibly attain.” – Mandy Hale
7. Find Ways to Serve
Caring for others and compassionate service go hand-in-hand. Instead of waiting to be served, be intentional about doing nice things for others, no matter how small. For example, hold the door for the next person, clean a sick friend’s house, run errands for someone, or give someone a lift to work.
While these are little acts of kindness, they make the world go round. And most importantly, they boost your sense of fulfillment and goodness.
- “Life’s most persistent and urgent question is: What are you doing for others?” – Martin Luther King, Jr.
- “As we lose ourselves in the service of others, we discover our own lives and our own happiness.” – Dieter F. Uchtdorf
- “Small acts, when multiplied by millions of people, can transform the world.” – Howard Zinn
8. Be Friendlier
You might want to be more caring, but you’ll likely push good people away if you have an imposing or intimidating demeanor.
One of the ways to lead a more caring life is to be more approachable. Smile more, initiate conversations, and use welcoming body language to make others feel comfortable around you.
- “Smile like you are a winner, and you will win over people around you. Smile.” – Janna Cachola
- “Approachability is a crucial way of being that empowers you with an extraordinary edge to make a great first impression, invite interaction, build rapport, and win friends.” – Susan C. Young
9. Give Without Expecting Anything in Return
One of the traits of a good person is giving without hoping to get something in return. Generosity and genuinely caring for others could mean giving time, volunteering service, or sharing knowledge. Whatever form giving and caring takes, let it be because that’s what you want to do, whether or not you receive any benefit.
Leading a more caring and giving life means being there for others, regardless of conditions. Let these inspirational quotes about being a good person motivate you to be selfless when giving and showing care and generosity for a better world:
- “Don’t give to get. Give to inspire others to give.” – Simon Sinek
- “There is no way that a person who treats others badly when he is unhappy is a good person! A good person is a person who treats others well even when unhappy!” – Mehmet Murat ildan
