I found myself walking down the street singing the Beetles song:
All you need is love
All you need is love
All you need is love, love
Love is all you need.
I took that walk because I needed to unwind from the daily news – bullying, social unrest and the global state of affairs. As I walked, I realized the universal message of the song. Love and kindness are needed in this world. But as a nation, can we really boost kindness?
Let’s face it, it can be difficult to be kind. When our schedules are hectic or we are experiencing stress, we can easily forget to notice the people around us. I have learned is that when others are suffering or going through challenges, this is a favorable time to create opportunities to be kind. When we are kind, we release neurochemicals that increase trust and happiness. When this happens, it helps us soothe ourselves from our challenges.
We need to cultivate kindness now more than ever. Participating in random acts of kindness helps to foster relationships, work together and build stronger mental health. The power of a little kindness goes a long way. Volunteering our generosity can boost our well being and improve the lives of others.
I consider myself to have a hectic life – I live with multiple sclerosis, I own a business, I am an avid volunteer, and am the mother of 2 children. I have been in a car accident, suffered 3 miscarriages, have been betrayed and lost a parent to COVID-19. I could also give you a longer list of everything I am grateful for. Kindness has helped me heal my pain. I have learned two lessons about kindness:
- Be Aware. To be kind, we need to pay attention. By experiencing mindfulness, we create opportunities to practice kindness. If you practice kindness for people outside your circle, we increase our level of empathy and compassion. In the present moment, we can consciously choose to become kinder and create a ripple effort with those around it.
- Be Kind. We know the benefits. Many people talk about it. It is nice to be the recipient of kindness, but do we really act on it? If we are aware that someone needs help carrying groceries, do we stop to help? If a mom is facing a challenge controlling her child in public, do we offer assistance? Do we write positive reviews on social media without being asked? When we are aware of opportunities to be kind, we can create them!
Studies show that kindness is contagious, so why not spread it? I believe that if we remind people to be kind and announcing when someone has been kind to us, then it will result in more people being kind. Doing random acts of kindness is an antidote to negative experiences. On a larger scale, kindness can change the course of a person’s life. There are no political or religious affiliations to connect nations, we can create a kinder world.
I started a kindness movement called “Be Aware, Be Kind” and it helped me be a kinder person. It has been incredibly rewarding to see people performing acts of kindness and posting about it on social media using the hashtag #BeAwareBeKind. My dream is to spread this movement throughout the world. If we can influence our social networks to be kinder, then all nations can connect on a powerful level. And yes, we can boost kindness in the world simply by being aware and being kind. #BeAwareBeKind