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The Kindness Box

Geoff-Allen

Resident megalomaniac
87 Ways to Be Kind and Loving

Grrrr.

How to be kind seems simple enough. But sometimes it feels impossible to be kind and loving, don’t you think? We get so angry and frustrated at events happening in our lives that we cannot access that loving place inside of us. Instead, our eyes go from side to side as our fists clench and minds whirl with angry thoughts. Some of us even spew those thoughts out into the world with our talk and our actions.

Or sometimes we just don’t know what to do. We have a nagging feeling that we need to be doing something, but we’re just not sure what.

When this happens, I always like to sit down and take a moment to reflect. I know that, when you love someone, there must be a better way and that the best antidote to these feelings is to act loving even if I don’t feel very much like doing so. And sometimes I just need a little more help – some prompts, ideas, things to get me going, to shift my emotions. So I made this list of 87 ways to be kind and loving. So next time you feel stuck and are unsure how to be kind in that moment, check this list and you will definitely find something to get you moving in the right direction.

Please share this list freely because there just can’t be too much kindness and love in the world.


Enjoy!
 

Wu Wei

ursus senum severiorum and ex-Bisy Backson
Spiritual practitioners thrive in unpredictable conditions, testing and refining the inner qualities of heart and mind. Every situation becomes an opportunity to abandon judgment and opinions and to simply give complete attention to what is.

Shaila Catherine, “Equanimity in Every Bite”
 

Geoff-Allen

Resident megalomaniac
How to Be Kind with Strangers

We’re each a part of a whole, and everything we do (every thought, word, and deed) affects the whole. My mind wanders to the countless individuals who are disregarded in some way, shape, or form, every minute of every day. We’ve all experienced it and we’ve all been a party to it.

Why do we do this to each other? What is this invisible fence dividing us vs. them? Where did it come from? And why is it popping up across all areas of our lives?

Safe in the confines of our car, we feel distant from those who stand on cold corners asking for our help. In our own bubble of a morning ritual, we forget that our coffee servers have morning rituals of their own. A false reality exists around us, and most often, without even giving it a second thought, we choose to live in it.

Like a prison built on the delusional foundation that we are somehow separate from one another, we’re trapped. But what if we chose to live in truth instead? If we can recognize the intrinsic unity of humanity, perhaps we can finally be free.


Cheers!
 

Geoff-Allen

Resident megalomaniac
The act of giving--our time, resources, even our presence--is linked not only with sustained joy but with improving social connections and communities around us. With small and simple actions, children can make a powerful ripple through their homes, neighborhoods, and humanity.


Cheers!
 

Geoff-Allen

Resident megalomaniac
Imagine if the whole world was a kinder place. What a difference that would make. Practising the art of kindness and giving isn’t just about digging deep for charity: it’s showing compassion and thoughtfulness towards others; a spur-of-the-moment act of generosity or a valued commitment to volunteer for a cause you believe in.

Being kind to others not only makes you feel good — sometimes a simple act of kindness can have a ripple effect; your good deed flows into the receiver’s stream of consciousness and they, too, can look for opportunities to pass it on.

At its very core, kindness is about empathy, being aware of your environment and seeking ways to selflessly enrich the lives of others. And giving to others benefits the giver as well as the receiver; it nourishes the spirit as it shifts our inner focus from ourselves to others. Researchers call this sense of inner warmth and satisfaction that results from doing good deeds for another a “helper’s high”. This euphoric state produces physiological sensations that reduce stress levels, and regulates the heart rate, lowering blood pressure.


:)
 

Geoff-Allen

Resident megalomaniac
The inquiry on the blog today is: In what small ways can you nourish the people around you?

Do you check in with how your partner is feeling? Do you, as we suggest in “Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff in Love,” ask for dream updates? Do you check in with your friends and co-workers about their lives in an effort to connect more deeply?

Often your moments of joy happen when you bring sunshine to others. It could be a humorous moment shared when you can laugh at the paradox of life with another. Or a subtle caring gesture. Perhaps a random act of kindness to a stranger. Or opening your heart to reveal something vulnerable in conversation that deepens your connection with another.


Cheers!
 

Geoff-Allen

Resident megalomaniac
Can you remember the last time someone was unexpectedly kind to you?

I’m guessing at least some of the people in your life are kind to you on a regular basis. Or at least I hope they are! But maybe their kindness feels commonplace because it’s made up of lots of little things that they do often… like asking if you want a cup of coffee when they’re getting their own, or saying, “I love you” in that rote way we do before hanging up the phone.

Small gestures like this are always valuable and worth appreciating and acknowledging. But there’s something about an unexpected act of kindness that can jolt us awake from the trance of daily living and make us feel seen, valued, and loved.

I’ve been reflecting on kindness a lot lately since revisiting Brad Aronson’s book HumanKind (which is in itself an act of kindness, since all author royalties support the non-profit Big Brothers Big Sisters).

The book shares some truly inspiring stories about kindness and its impacts, and it’s full of simple but powerful ideas to make a positive impact in someone’s life.


One huge site!

Enjoy!
 

Geoff-Allen

Resident megalomaniac
Cards for Hospitalized Kids (CFHK) is a 501(c)(3) certified nonprofit charitable organization that spreads hope, joy & magic to hospitalized kids across America through uplifting, handmade cards. CFHK distributes "general" cards monthly, as well as holiday cards for all major holidays, to Children's Hospitals and Ronald McDonald Houses in all 50 states.


:)
 

Geoff-Allen

Resident megalomaniac
Browsing over that site ... found a list of dozens of articles about the cards for the kids -


Cheers!
 

Geoff-Allen

Resident megalomaniac
Volunteer UCF spread joy and hope through handwritten, heartfelt cards for hospitalized kids on Friday evening in the Business Administration I building.

Jessica Vitarelli, Volunteer UCF youth and mentor director and junior legal studies major, hosted the event where she collected the cards and sent them to charity.

“After we collect all the cards, we send them to the Cardz for Kidz non-profit organization," Vitarelli said. "They are the ones who distribute the cards all over the country and 50 different countries in six different continents of the world."

Cardz for Kidz looks for children's hospitals in need, where they hand-deliver every card to the children who need them the most.


:)
 

Wu Wei

ursus senum severiorum and ex-Bisy Backson
Awakening to your own joy can be as simple as taking delight in a gorgeous blooming flower, hearing the sound of your beloved’s voice, or noticing the way your favorite song soothes your heart. -- Amanda Gilbert, “How to Choose Joy"
 
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