Find the compassion and kindness in your soul

Embrace apologising: One of the hardest things to do is to admit you've done something wrong and apologise to another person. Firstly, no-one likes to be in the wrong. Secondly, most people don't want to think they've upset someone or hurt them. Combine this with our natural reticence to bring up sensitive conversations and very often we miss the chance to show real compassion with our apology. In this light be ready, willing and able to say sorry.

Small gestures can change things: We often hesitate about making a small gesture of kindness because we don't think it'll make a difference. We forgo the little things like giving up a seat for someone a bit older or letting a car cut in. It often crosses a person's mind to do such small gestures but then they hurry on with their day and think it won't matter. When you think it, do it - your small gesture can put a smile on someone's face.

Random acts of kindness: A random act of kindness takes small gestures a bit further. Examples include chatting to that elderly lady in the bank queue, asking a harassed shopkeeper how their day's going, offering to pay someone's bus fare who's struggling to get their wallet out of their pocket. Anything that seems kind and random - just go for it!

Don't be judge and jury: It's so easy to catch yourself in the midst of negativity judging others around you. For example, criticising a neighbour's parenting skills who seems to have an unruly child, having a go at a colleague who always seems disorganised, and so on. Why do we do it? Because we forget that we've had moments like that! We forget that our children aren't perfect or that we're not always together. So rather than be judgmental, find a little compassion and think to yourself, 'there but for the grace, go I?'