Begin 2022 making it a better world….

There are many of us who will contemplate what we want from a new year. Is it to get more fit? Lose a few pounds? Spend more time with loved ones? Maybe we will get organized. As you probably know, most of us will not live up to our set aspirations and break these resolutions. I believe it is said by January 18th, most will have been forgotten. So, why do this to ourselves? Most of us will have some type of goal because we want to be better than yesterday. There is absolutely nothing wrong with wanting to be better.

I asked myself this many times in the last couple of days, what would make me better in 2022? I had just finished reading a story where a woman in a Starbucks line, bought the car behind her a coffee. The kind gesture went on for over 300 people! I was so impressed that there are so many nice people out there and we never hear about. My mother-in-law had her wallet stolen from her at a grocery store this year and did not realize until it until she was at the register. She was so upset and could not pay for her groceries. However, a lady offered to pay for her groceries so at least she could take home what she came for. How kind of her, a complete stranger, pay for the $50 worth of groceries just to make it easier for someone in a bad situation. There are many stories out there about random acts of kindness, but we seldom hear about. I laid in bed the other night thinking of these stories and how if everyone was just a little kinder, how much nicer the world would be. I am the first to admit that I could be a little bit more patient with the waitress, the checker, the other driver. I woke up this morning and wanted to be a kinder person to the world. I too wanted to show random acts of kindness. I wanted a kinder world, so I needed to be a kinder person.

What is a random act of kindness? According to Wikipedia: A random act of kindness is a non-premeditated, inconsistent action designed to offer kindness towards the outside world.

The phrase "practice random kindness and senseless acts of beauty" was written by Anne Herbert on a placemat in Sausalito, California in 1982. Wikipedia. Anne Herbert wrote her book Random Kindness and Senseless Acts of Beauty, published in February 1993, speaking about true stories of acts of kindness. This is not a new idea. There have been many organizations and initiatives that have popped up about paying it forward and performing random kind acts. It does not have to be about buying something for someone but simply showing more compassion in our everyday lives. Simply put, treat people in a way that makes them feel good. Paying it forward has really caught on in hard times. Help someone and asked them to repay by helping someone later in the same situation. A very neat concept. You know me, I started to ask Mrs. Google what she thought kindness was:

What is kindness:

Kindness is more than being nice.

Kindness goes beyond merely being nice. Think about it - would you prefer people to describe you to be "kind" or "nice?" There can be a lack of sincerity in just being nice. Kindness is being kind when not only when it’s easy to be kind, but when it’s hard to be. I think about the grocery store. I can get a little annoyed quickly and why? Is this going to speed things up? Is this going to make me feel better? Showing kindness and compassion in the stressful situations is the true meaning of kindness. Being quite can be considered nice. Let’s strive to be kinder.

Kindness is grace.

We are humans, and therefore, we make mistakes. We can be kind in our response to ourselves and others when those mistakes occur. This means thinking before speaking, forgiving before seeking revenge, and thinking about long-term relationships instead of short-term pride. If we could all remember that none of us are perfect, we would be a lot kinder to each other. Offer grace, be kind. Again, treat others in a way that makes them feel good. Something I try very hard to always remember is that we do not have to be right! If you don’t agree, fine. Shut the heck up. It is perfectly okay for us to have different opinions. We DO NOT have to be right in a conversation.

Practice, practice, practice.

One of the best ways to teach kindness to others is by being intentional about it. Give sincere compliments, donate to charity, hold the door for someone; there are so many ways to be an example of kindness. What better way to teach kindness than to show it? We all know that for anything to become natural takes practice. Let’s all practice more kindness❤.

Say thank you.

A simple thank you goes a long way. Today, we need to make sure that we thank those who serve and protect us. We need to thank those who wait on us and remember to put ourselves in the other p

erson’s shoes. When you see someone being kind or notice it from a family member or friend, make sure to tell them you appreciate what they did. Positive reinforcement helps people want to do more good deeds and reminds people to act with intention. Thank you all for reading my post! I hope that I add value to your life in some small way.

I wish all of you a Happy New Year! Bring on the kindness for 2022!