We’ve just experienced the “festive season.”
Is there anything prettier than holiday lights surrounded by evergreen? We’ve kept candles burning during the eight days of Hanukkah and enjoyed the communal feast on the sixth day of Kwanzaa.
It’s during this beautiful month our hearts are open and our kindness evident. We’re giving to the less fortunate, taking baskets of cookies and cakes to neighbors, wishing clerks in shops, “happy holidays,” and giving those who need it, a helping hand to cross busy streets.
And then the calendar changes to the new year.
And little by little we’re consumed again with our private thoughts and our kindness for others slowly fades. Sure, we believe we’re kind by nature. But so often we’re flooded with personal concerns that blind us a bit to the needs of others.
Sometimes so blinded, a lonely neighbor who would love just five minutes of your time goes wanting. Nor do we notice the homeless mother standing on the street corner surrounded by her children.
We’re suggesting, 2024, which, by the way, will be the best year of our lives (predicted by TwoWomen) that we think kind thoughts and keep a high level of kindness acts in our actions.
Toward that end we’ve developed a short list of ideas to keep kindness coming.
Little acts of kindness that continue to keep our ties to community strong and produce what The Random Acts of Kindness website calls the “helper’s high.”
Hope all this helps us carry the feel-good of the festive season into the fabulous new year.
Five Ways to Show Kindness
1. Set daily kindness intentions. Actually, look for kindness opportunities. Notice others and lend a helping hand when you can. Or simply complement friends, neighbors and strangers. We all know how mood-lifting compliments can be. That feel good effect is shared by the giver and receiver of complements.
2. Handwritten letters. I’m certainly going to do more of this in 2024. It’s such a kind gesture. Sending letters of encouragement, condolence, congratulations, or simply reaching out to stay connected – it’s all a kind thing to do.
3. Small gifts. Could be a gift of your time. Or something small, some little object you noticed while shopping that could lighten the day of a friend or neighbor. For instance, I have become addicted to a scone baked by and available at one of our local coffeehouses. They call it the Fat Rascal. A couple of days ago, a friend stopped by my apartment and handed me a little brown paper bag. It was holding my favorite pastry. So thoughtful. So kind.
4. Notice others. Try as we might sometimes our heads are so full, we’re not very good listeners. It’s a beautiful act of kindness to notice and listen to others. Is the petite woman at the grocery having a hard timer reaching the lemon yogurt? Is the little lost boy attempting to tell you his
problem? Has the older gentleman stood through two light cycles because he’s stressed at the busy intersection. All of us would offer help in any one of these situations. But first we have to notice them.
5. Volunteer. This is going to be my year to find more volunteer opportunities. Now, of course, I said the same thing last year but that’s not important. I’ve already filled out the application for one nonprofit where I can lend a hand, but I don’t know if it’s the perfect fit. If it isn’t I’m going to stay committed to this goal. We all know that volunteering is not just a nice thing to do, it’s a kind thing to do. It’s getting involved. It’s taking action. It’s making a difference.
FIVE WAYS TO NURTURE A KIND HEART
I had a conversation today with one of my good friends. We took a minute to discuss what seems to be on everyone’s mind – how the world has changed since the pandemic. It seems we’re all grappling with and trying to make peace with our “new normal.”
With all that’s going on, sometimes it’s challenging to think kind thoughts. But let’s stay optimistic and give it a go. This list is meant to help.
1. Nourish empathy. Think about putting yourself in others’ shoes and try and understand their perspective.
2. Judging others. I got this little nugget from The Minimalist Podcast. I think the episode was “Useless Things.” The conversation was about judging other people. This is a snippet of what they shared: “We tend to judge other people by their BEHAVIOR, but we judge ourselves by our INTENTIONS.” They finish by saying: “What we need to get better at is showing each other the same grace we give ourselves because we understand our intentions.”
3. Think gratitude. I know we talk about gratitude often, but I love to be reminded of its impact. Speaking personally, if I could remember to focus my thoughts on what I have as opposed to what I don’t have I would increase my capacity for showing kindness. I guess we’re all a work in progress.
4. Be present and in the moment. If we can stay present it allows us to listen and give our full attention to others. Active listening shows we value others thoughts and feelings.
5. Smile more. Better yet, let’s intentionally look for things in our environment to smile about. Looking into the world optimistically sets us up to have the capacity for kindness.
Here’s a website I fell in love with. You may be aware of it already. It’s a non-profit organization with a mission to increase the emotional intelligence of the world. It’s called SixSeconds.
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