13 Ways of Practicing the "Golden Rule"

1. Practice empathy. Make it a habit to try to place yourself in the shoes of another person. Any person. Loved ones, co-workers, people you meet on the street. Really try to understand, to the extent that you can, what it is like to be them, what they are going through, and why act like they do.
2. Practice compassion. Once you feel what they’re going through, learn to want to end their suffering. And when you can, take action to somehow ease their suffering in some way.
3. How would you want to be treated? The Golden Rule means you should try to imagine how they want to be treated, and do that. So when you put yourself in their shoes, ask yourself how you think they want to be treated. Ask yourself how you would want to be treated if you were in their situation. J. F. Kennedy asked Americans to imagine how they would want to be treated if they were black, and act accordingly toward them.
4. Be friendly. It’s usually safe to be friendly with others, within the bounds of appropriateness, of course. But who doesn’t like to feel welcome and wanted?
5. Be helpful. There are many people who go out of their way to be helpful, and I applaud them. But in general there is a tendency to keep to yourself, and to ignore the problems of others. Don’t be blind to the needs and troubles of others. Look to help even before you’re asked.
6. Listen to others. We all want to talk, but very few of us want to listen. And yet, we all want to be listened to. So take the time to actually listen to another person. It’ll also go a long way toward helping you understand others.
7. Overcome prejudice. Try to see each person as an individual human being, with different backgrounds and needs and dreams. Try to see the commonalities between you and that person, despite your differences.
8. Stop criticism. Ask yourself if you would like to be criticized in that person’s situation. The answer is almost always “no”. So hold back your criticism, Nothing else, just hold back your criticism
9. Don’t control others. It’s also rare that people want to be controlled. So don’t do it. You would want freedom and autonomy and trust, wouldn’t you? Then give that to others.
10. Rise above retaliation. We have a tendency to strike back when we’re treated badly. This is natural. Does that mean you should be a doormat? No, but you can do so in a way where you still treat others well. Remember Jesus’ wise (but difficult to follow) advice: turn the other cheek.
11. Be the change. Gandhi famously told us to be the change we want to see in the world. In addition to applying this quote to grand changes, such as poverty and racism and violence, it apply on a much smaller scale: to all the small interactions between people. Do you want people to treat each other with more compassion and kindness? Then let it start with you. Even if the world doesn’t change, at least you have.
12. Notice how it makes you feel. Notice how your actions affect others, especially when you start to treat them with kindness, compassion, respect, trust, love. But also notice the change in yourself. Do you feel better about yourself? Happier? More secure? More willing to trust others, now that you trust yourself? These changes come slowly and in small increments, but if you pay attention, you’ll see them.
13. Wish the best for others. Eusebius of Caesarea, said it well:                                                       

      “May I gain no victory that harms me or my opponent.
      May I reconcile friends who are mad at each other.
      May I, insofar as I can, give all necessary
      help to my friends and to all who are in need,.
      May I never fail a friend in trouble.”