How random is your kind of kindness?

You learn something new every day. And today I learned that Feb. 17 was Random Acts of Kindness Day. I missed that one. There are a lot of special days to remember, right? If you also missed it, don’t fret. You can make up for it on Nov. 13, which is World Kindness Day. Did you know that? I’ve learned two things today. I’m good for the weekend now!

I suppose I could have saved this blog for November, but when my friend Joanne gave me a copy of the article You Can Be Kinder to Yourself, found in the June 2020 issue of Good Times, a Canadian magazine devoted to retirement (didn’t know about this either!), it felt serendipitous.

Joanne not only gave me the article, but she also gave me the inspiration. I blogged about Joanne a few years ago. Four, to be exact. Wow! Where does the time go? The year before, she rode her bike on every street in our city in honor of her 65th birthday. Now, Joanne has vowed to complete 70 random acts of kindness to celebrate turning 70 this summer. She has done 64 so far, so she has just a few left to do before the end of August. I’m confident she will achieve that goal!

In the article, author Wendy Haaf, reports that researchers discovered that people who performed an act of kindness for someone else had a high sense of well-being. It was found that kindness relates to improved psychological and physical health, lower premature mortality, and better relationships.

What does Joanne think about that? “I just like surprising people with kindness. In December, with the new year coming, I was getting depressed about turning 70. I know it is just a number, but it made me feel old. My body cannot do what it did at 65. So, I thought, why not 70 random acts of kindness? Doing little things for people cheers me up. It makes me happy to put a smile on a person’s face when it is unexpected.”

Being kind to others makes Joanne feel happy. But it is not something that comes easy to all of us. We have grown up in a competitive culture that doesn’t always view kindness as important unless it gets you ahead or makes you rich. It’s time to step out of that old-school way of thinking and revisit how we treat ourselves. Even on an airplane they tell you to put on your own oxygen mask first and then look after others, right? So, can’t the same be said for being kind? If you’re in a good place, you will be more likely to pass those feelings on to others.

And face it, many of us are surrounded by changes that we can’t control. Forget about what’s going on in the world. What about changes brought on by aging? We can’t stop those changes, but we certainly can change how we perceive and manage them.

Being kind to ourselves is crucial for our overall well-being. If we treat ourselves well, we will reduce our anxiety and increase our ability to manage the challenges we face. If you think about it, you probably treat your friends better than you treat yourself. Come on. Be honest.

We must be mindful and honest about being kind to ourselves. Self-care is different for everyone. If you sit on the couch lamenting the fact that you aren’t out exercising or running marathons, you will feel awful. Guilty. Inadequate. But if you find something that you like to do, your body will react differently. Not everyone can do random acts of kindness for complete strangers. That’s fine. You can start with yourself. What do you like to do? How can you be kind to yourself? Walk the dog, read, travel, meditate, watch a good movie, or enjoy a cup of coffee or tea in the garden? Nap?

“It does not have to be big things,” says Joanne. “Sometimes a kind word or an ear to listen to someone’s story is good enough. I carry Tim Horton’s gift cards and have handed them out to random people. I have made a couple of small quilts. One was for a single mom and her baby, and one was for a lady in a care home. I helped a blind lady at the pool, I cleaned up glass at a person’s house, and I shovelled snow for a lady with a disability. The reactions I get are nice. People tell me they will pay it forward, and one guy wished me good karma. Some acts I do anonymously. I leave a thank you in a mailbox with a Tim card. I smile to think what happens when they open their mail. I do random acts all the time. I pick up garbage every time I walk just to clean up the neighbourhood. I even called the police yesterday because two little girls were headed to the 7-11, one in socks and the other barefoot. They were lost. I gave them each a toonie and said to wait until the police came to get them home safe. I record every act in a journal. I read it when I have a bad day, and then it cheers me up.”

Joanne doesn’t plan to stop doing random acts of kindness once she reaches her goal. “If everyone did these simple acts, the world would be better.”

How true. What random act of kindness can you do today?

Interesting Reads & Things

https://goodtimes.ca/you-can-be-kinder-to-yourself/

https://soniamcdonald.com.au/2023/10/22/why-you-need-to-have-the-courage-to-be-kind-to-yourself/

https://drclairestubbspsychologist.co.uk/the-power-of-being-kind-to-yourself/