Kindness as a cure
Start from within
A lot has happened in the last two years, and perhaps it seems like there is no more time to be kind. The pandemic is still raging, yet, we’re getting impatient; and that is problematic. Reflecting on this, we invite you to reconsider—starting from yourself. What can you do to improve the state of your networks, to maintain and improve your relationships?
It is, of course, understandable if the answers to your questions are not clearly apparent to you at this moment. But there exists a universal band-aid you can always apply to improve your being—be kind to yourself. Treat yourself like someone you are responsible for helping; because we can only help others if we are able to help ourselves.
Mark Kelly: How one act of kindness a day can change your life
It’s difficult to imagine that one small action or thought in a day are the things that give us life’s memorable moments. The one that we replay in our heads when we’re in the shower or make us smile as we walk down the street, but they really are, aren’t they? It’s the small things, those that we miss in the blink of an eye, that we don’t think twice about that change our lives.
For Mark Kelly the above was no exception. His life changed when he bought a coffee… for someone who was homeless. He then went on to find other ways to help the homeless, so he started carrying toothbrushes, toothpaste and socks with him so he could hand them out to anybody that he came across that seemed like they would need it. These acts of kindness did not stop here but they grew; he started to hold the door open for the next person, he would give his shopping cart to the next person who needed it. These are the acts of kindness that would generally bring just a small spark of joy to someone even if it’s just for a moment. But we are meant to do them for other people because it would make someone else’s day better but often we neglect how we feel.
“Do one act of kindness a day for you but you just might help society.”
– Mark Kelly
Mark continued his acts of kindness, not just for others but also because of how it made him feel about himself. He felt better and sometimes we could all use that for ourselves. Though it may seem like a selfish proposition, why does it need to be? Why can’t we commend ourselves for helping others? In the end an act of kindness is not just for another person but it is also for ourselves.
Raegan Hill: The Power of Kindness
Power is an important concept to hand over to people and things. It requires trust in others and yourselves. We often give power to the wrong things in our lives which could in turn stop us from being the best we can be. How often do we give power to our fears and anxieties everyday over self-compassion and kindness? As always it is a difficult choice because we often defer to what is comfortable for us but we have to break this cycle.
Raegan Hill addresses the three aspects that contribute to being kind. Harmlessness, humility and honesty. Now, all of them are difficult to practice especially when you realize they are tied to another difficult overarching concept of being kind, however Raegan breaks them down into easy to follow guides. Harmlessness requires intelligence, self-awareness and the ability to make difficult choices so you know when to let things go or when you need to go against the crowd. Humility requires the s litigation to learn and to never stop learning. Honesty lays the foundation for genuine acts of kindness, both can be difficult but together they coexist to create genuine human experiences.
“It’s time for us to have a bit of humility, be harmless and to be honest.”
– Raegan Hill
Practice makes perfect and this is no exception. You can practice kindness and all the other attributes that are associated with it. It is difficult–but if it wasn’t, it wouldn’t make such a huge impact, not only on the world but for yourself.
Orly Wahba: Making kindness viral
Dreams need to be put into action—and this is exactly what Orly Wahba decided to do. She became a middle school teacher, wanting to make a change in the lives of the young, at a period in their life where they are most prone to doubting themselves and their self-worth.
By introducing her students to cards with small acts of kindness written on them, she realized how large of an effect this had on them and how quick their moods switched—they felt the ripple effect of a kind environment. This can be replicated in any setting, and this is exactly what Orly’s mission became.
“One act of kindness can go on and on, and sometimes, like a boomerang, come back to us at a time when we need it the most.”
– Orly Wahba
According to her, kindness comes to us in waves, like inspiration does. However, just like inspiration, it can quickly fade away, and it can be hard to hold onto it. For this reason, Orly decided to launch an app, which would enable everyone to set their own kindness goals; because, as she says, one act of kindness can have unknown and profound consequences, and it’s ordinary actions with extraordinary effects that end up changing the world.