How to be a More Caring Person

We all want to be cared for and cared about. Wanting to be loved and valued is human nature. Being cared for and cared about is pretty easy. Being a more caring person, though, now that’s the harder part.

It takes a real conscious effort to show those you care about how much you love and appreciate them. You may think you’re a caring person—but do your actions show it?

Here are some things to get in the habit of doing regularly if you want to be a more caring person.

Develop the qualities of a caring person.

Caring people are polite, considerate, generous, affectionate, patient, understanding, loving, and forgiving. They go out of their way to make others feel special, to make them happy or feel more confident in themselves. They’re sensitive to others’ feelings. They care what others have to say. They listen rather than talking someone’s ear off about their own problems or opinions. They’re quick to forgive. They voluntarily serve others, even when they don’t necessarily have the time.

Remember the details.

Jot down people’s names, important dates and events, life situations, favorite foods, etc. Doing so will help you remember the important details of people who are important to you. Then, you can show you care by calling them on their birthday or sending them a gift card to their favorite restaurant for their anniversary.

Have regular check-ins.

Don’t you love it when someone calls just to say hi and see how you’re doing? Of course you do. And guess what? They’d love for you to return the favor. Take a few minutes to check in with family members, friends, colleagues, classmates, or clients every so often. Let someone know you’re thinking about them by sending a quick text saying, “Good luck on your presentation!” or forwarding a news article you think they’d find interesting.

Act out of love and kindness.

A caring person provides small acts of kindness without expecting anything in return every day. Show you love one another by saying thank you to the person who holds the door open for you or giving more hugs to your family and friends. Hugging shows you care about that person’s feelings, as well as their health, as hugging has stress-reducing and health-related benefits. Small actions like these are worth more than the grandest intention. But, if you feel like making a more grand gesture, then offer to watch your neighbor’s kids or make her dinner when she’s sick.

So go ahead—make someone’s day. Do something kind for someone you care about today. It’s the first step to being a more caring person.