Did you know that February is Kindness Month. Random acts of kindness are the focus for this week. But instead of just this week, what if we celebrate kindness and compassion for the rest of the month?
What if you choose to offer someone one random act of kindness each day?
Research shows that helping others is good for our mental health. It reduces stress, improves our emotional well-being, our physical health, and helps us feel a little bit better.
The University of Texas at Austin, says that we tend to underestimate the power of kindness. We downplay the importance of our own kind acts, believing instead that they
9or we) make little difference. What a sad belief.
Do you talk yourself out of doing kind things thinking that they don’t matter, or the person won’t care? Have you ever been upset when someone helped you pick up the things you dropped? Or let you cut in line when their basket was huge? Or smiled and said, “Hello.” Think about it, when we are kind or gracious, we are helping to ease someone else’s pain or burden. We are helping to lighten their load. And when have you ever felt poorly about yourself when you lightened another’s load? I am guessing, never. It feels good to be kind. Even if it isn’t received. Hold on. I know you are thinking, when it’s not received? Yes. If your intention is to offer kindness, then you have been completely successful. Regardless of whether it was deeply received or not. Knowing we have offered compassion helps us feel better about who we are and how we show up. And how many times have you been blessed with a pay it forward? I hope one less than you have received. Kindness is contagious.
Up for a challenge? How about we don’t play small? How about we offer kindness as a gift without expectations. It is a way of acknowledging, validating, and supporting each other. Make random acts of kindness part of your daily routine - one for others and one for yourself. And we can be each other's accountability buddy. Pop me an email after you’ve done one or two and let me know how you feel.
Choose something that is easy for you: buying a coffee, bringing in the trash cans, letting someone cut in front in line.
Or ask a few people what they need and follow through. Or call and schedule the act of kindness. I will bring over dinner on Tuesday, I’ll pick up the kids each day this week.
Who are three people that you could do something kind for? What will you commit to? Who gets to be blessed with your sweet love? I can’t wait to hear?
Your partner? Child? Mom? Dog? Or maybe your boss? Who gets to be extra loved by you?
