Vanessa Zuisei Goddard discusses several different ways of looking at metta (kindness and goodwill) that suggest ways that we can bring it into our lives and our meditation practice. These include our relationship to fear, and also to humility and gratitude. You can find her article here: Four Ways of Looking at Lovingkindness
Jack Kornfield gives some good suggestions for the practice of metta, starting with people we care for, then extending the intention of kindness to ourselves, and then to all beings. You can find his in this article: How to Do Metta