Photograph by Bill Miles
Simple acts of kindness elevate your own spirit and that of others — here are 4 to try without ever leaving your home
________________________________
It’s not that difficult to be kind and put others’ needs and wants before our own. We just get wound up in the story of our ego and a “what’s in it for me?” attitude to life. But don’t beat yourself up over this. Instead, commit to being kinder this year. It does take effort to retrain your mind to show kindness and compassion, but it’s worth it!
Acts of Kindness often appear in the media. They can range from an individual starting a campaign to raise funds for someone in need, to whole communities coming together to protect their local shop, etc. These acts of kindness are amazing and can bring about almost immediate change for the better.
For some people who have to spend the majority of their time at home for one reason or another (ill-health, career responsibilities, homeworkers and so on), the idea of spreading kindness can seem pretty daunting. What if you hardly see anyone during the course of a week? What if you have a mental or physical disability and can’t get out and about as much as you’d like? What if you are so painfully shy that interaction with others is terrifying?
That is why it is so important to never underestimate the power of the small acts of kindness. These, too, can have hugely positive effects on the world around us. Every one of us—regardless of any limitations we may have—is capable of many small acts of kindness every day.
Here are 4 things you can do today from home.
-
Send an unexpected message to someone
This can be via text, email, Facebook, Skype, etc. One of my favorite messages is to state what made me smile that day and then ask: “What’s made you smile today?” The replies you receive will undoubtedly make you smile and make the recipient feel that someone cares.
-
Start a Happiness Journal
If you’re not able to connect with others virtually, then start a Happiness Journal at home, listing in it anything that has made you smile on a particular day. You could record this orally if you have difficulties with writing. This is a brilliant act of kindness to yourself as you will then be able to use this resource to cheer yourself up on a day when you are feeling low. When you read through some of the entries, you will be reminded that life is mostly good and happy and fun and that today — this low mood — will pass.
-
Do a media audit
Ask yourself if the programs you watch or the news that you read are bringing you joy. If the answer is No, then stop watching/reading them and replace your media with something else more positive. It’s not burying your head in the sand…it’s simply choosing to focus on the positive. This act of kindness will have a dramatic energetic effect on your mental and emotional health; this will also filter through to your relationships with others. You will be more positive, more understanding, kinder.
-
Greet any visitor to your home by warmly looking them in the eyes.
The eyes are the windows to the soul. The eyes are just as involved in smiling as the mouth is! We have become too used to going about our business, not interacting with others, and certainly not looking them in the eye. This habit reinforces the feeling we have of ‘separateness’ from others. Yet, we are not separate — we are all interconnected on Earth.
Once we realize that everything we do impacts others, then life becomes simpler, kinder, and we end up more compassionate to others’ needs — and our own.
