Daily Acts of Kindness

“Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless” — Mother Teresa

My wish is to see more kindness in the world.

I know kindness exists. I have been the giver and receiver of countless acts of kindness, but wouldn’t it be enlightening to see even more kindness expanding all around us?

Kindness is defined as “the quality of being friendly, generous, and considerate,” and includes acts of kindness. Kindness sounds like such a simple thing…so why then, is it sometimes hard to find in our world today?

Maybe people mistake kindness for weakness, or as an opportunity to take advantage of our good nature. The news and social media often perpetuate the culture of negativity. It’s easy to become cynical or bitter when we are bombarded with messages of division, separate-ness, and comparison.

Remember Dr. Masaru Emoto’s water experiment? Back in the 1990s, Dr. Emoto examined the natural effects of words, prayers, music, and environment on the crystalline structure of water. He found that when the energy of kind and loving words were conveyed to the water, they formed a complete crystal structure. These structures looked very different compared to water that had been exposed to energies of hate and anger. https://youtu.be/tAvzsjcBtx8

Considering approximately 70% of our body is made up of water, kindness can have a direct impact on our immediate health! Being aware of the thoughts we think and the things we say are even more important than we may have previously been aware of.

That’s why I believe kindness is a conscious choice — one of strength and happiness, one that comes from acting in integrity with who we really are. This starts with being kind to ourselves! Speaking to and treating ourselves with as much kindness as we would give our best friend, waving goodbye to our inner critic and saying hello to our inner cheerleader! Loving everything that is unique and strong and capable about ourselves — because when we are kind to ourselves, it’s easy to be kind to others. Kindness is giving in nature because it is in our nature to give. To follow the impulse when it rises, whether it is appreciated or not.

Think about the last time someone was kind to you. What feelings came up? Here’s one I’d like to share with you: last Saturday I was out for a walk and as I came through the front door, my husband showed me a reusable bag that my neighbour Sue had dropped off for me. It was so pretty, with tulips and greenery all over it and the quote; “Inhale confidence, Exhale doubt”. Right away I felt my heart swell and that used, reusable bag felt like the biggest hug in the world. Why? Because two weeks ago, over tea, I had shared with Sue that I was experiencing a challenge that required me to shift direction and was a bit of a hit to my ego. I’m used to being the friend that has her “poop in a group” and it honestly took something for me to share this with her. To be open, humble, and a little vulnerable. That she heard me and followed her impulse to give me this little gift meant the world to me. Even writing about it now is recreating those feelings of kindness, friendship and support! And that’s the thing with random acts of kindness. They often don’t cost a thing and the ripple effect reaches much further than the initial act itself.

I love this quote by Bob Kerry: “Unexpected kindness is the most powerful, least costly, and most underrated agent of human change.”

Just think how different our world would be if everyone took a few minutes out of their day to something kind for someone else. Let’s do it, Ladies!! Let’s start an awareness around daily acts of kindness and be the change we want to see in the world!

Written by: Kirsten Frey; Vision Quest