“When they’ve finished reading, Olivia’s mother gives her a kiss and says, ‘You know, you really wear me out. But I love you anyway.’
And Olivia gives her a kiss back and says, ‘I love you anyway too.’”
~ Ian Falconer, Olivia
Today’s Act of Kindness: Respond to every perceived shortcoming or irritation today with kindness and an ‘I love you anyway too,’ attitude. When you feel your body react to a trigger, respond mindfully instead and turn toward the person or situation with gentleness and peace. Try this, one irritation at a time.
“Do your little bit of good where you are; it’s those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world.” ~ Desmond Tutu
Today’s Act of Kindness: Speak or leave a message for someone’s supervisor about their good work, place coins in an expired meter, or give out three sincere compliments.
If the opportunity doesn’t arise to sing someone’s praises to their supervisor in the moment, use the notes function on your phone to remind you of someone’s name so you can follow up by placing a call or sending an email. Think about all the interactions you are likely to have today and be on the lookout for ways you can support the strengths and beauty of another person in a way that may impact their day-to-day success at their workplace.
“Be nice to yourself… It’s hard to be happy when someone is mean to you all the time.” ~ Christine Arylo
Here is the yoga practice video link for today. Pour as much kindness into yourself as possible with your loving attention during your practice and then let that kindness spill out into the world.
“If you look the right way, you can see that the whole world is a garden.” ~ Frances Hodgson Burnett, The Secret Garden
Today’s Act of Kindness: Walk in your neighbourhood tonight and ‘award’ the homes with the best seasonal decorating by leaving a small note of thanks for their efforts (and maybe a lotto/scratch ticket) in their mailbox.
I did this with my family last night. It was so much fun.
Who did you surprise yesterday? What did you do? If you haven’t created a surprise yet, here is a compilation of inspirational surprises. If you don’t want to watch the whole thing, I particularly like the very first one when a marines’ parents are surprised, another one at 4:12 when an older woman is helped to her car and then the very last one at 10:28 because that hug is full of genuine emotion (so beautiful).
“Be nice. (The world is a small town,) ~ Austin Kleon
Todays Act of Kindness: Support a local business and purchase a small gift, make one, or write a thoughtful note and then hide it in a place you know it will be found. Notice how you feel to randomly surprise someone.
Rocking Kindness
During the first lockdown I joined an online writing group. Around the same time my daughter and I made inspiration stones and placed them along trails we often hike. It was our way of reaching out to people we didn’t know. It was something we had done prior to the pandemic but during the very first lockdown it somehow felt more important. This is how I felt about the writing group too. I have been part of lots of writing groups but this one felt significant.
Here’s the cool thing…
The woman* leading the writing group also wanted to reach out to others through an online version of her writing workshops. She could feel the need to collectively capture and share this unique time and experience. She sent out an email very soon after my daughter and I had put out the stones with a picture of one my daughter had painted. She explained that the rock’s message made her feel that it was speaking directly to her, that she felt cared for and less alone during a time of uncertainty. I wish I’d kept the exact email message from her because I’d love to include it here.
Little things make a difference.
Our small gesture made another person’s heart a little lighter and her sharing that experience with a group made ours set sail that day.
My sincerest hope is that today you will take the time to surprise someone (anyone) and provide for yourself the opportunity to enjoy the process.
*If you know the beautiful human I am speaking about, shhhhhh about the rock. I think it might have been more special that ‘someone out there’ placed it on her path 😉
Welcome to day 6 of the Kindness Challenge. Today we direct kindness to ourselves through a movement practice that I have shown from a standing position. My hope is that the same series can be accessed in various ways so that you have a truly flexible home practice that we can continue to build upon 🙂
“Action on behalf of life transforms. Because the relationship between self and the world is reciprocal, it is not a question of first getting enlightened or saved and then acting. As we work to heal the earth, the earth heals us.” ~Robin Wall Kimmerer, Braiding Sweetgrass
Today’s act(s) of kindness: Water your house plants with conscious care. Spend time with a pet and pour all your attention into the interaction. Pick up garbage in a naturalized area near your house.
When I was homeschooling my daughter, I used the Handbook of Nature Study to create our nature study program (along with some connections to literature and poetry…lots of Mary Oliver and Wendell Berry). It is a huge book, packed with incredible content, but still really heavy so we didn’t bring it along with us on hikes. My daughter was also quite young at the time so on the trail we used Fun with Nature Take-Along Guide along with Ontario guides to birds, trees and flowers.
Fiction is also an effective way to whisper to and nurture your heart’s longing to feel more connected to the natural world. Here is a short list of books that come to mind. Note that the YA fiction is so incredible it shouldn’t be listed separately (really) but I will anyway. I have linked to Amazon.ca so you can check out these titles but consider supporting an independent bookshop. Having the option of walking into a bookstore sometimes seems to me like an underrated luxury and privilege.
Christmas 2020, before we knew what was around the corner with the pandemic, my parents gave us a Grand River Parks Membership. During the first lockdown of course we couldn’t use it but we have used it again and again ever since. The Grand River Parks membership card allows entry to 10 parks and the Luther Marsh Wildlife Management Area, every day of the operating season, for up to 6 people in one vehicle (or walking in). If you live outside this area, have a look at what is available locally for you.
“The great teacher Abraham Joshua Heschel once wrote that our goal should be to live life in radical amazement…[and] take nothing for granted: ‘Everything is phenomenal; everything is incredible; never treat life casually. To be spiritual is to be amazed.’ Along with sharing time, radical amazement is the best present you can offer, best delivered by example. And you don’t even have to wrap it.”
How did yesterday go? Did you complete a task for someone in your life? Did you give them a break? I did some less than glamorous tasks around our house but this morning, upon reflection, I’m not sure anyone else was ever going to do them, lol. I don’t think they really count for the challenge. It is a great big check mark for cleaning before the holidays but today I’ll have to think of an act that is a big sigh of relief for someone else.
Today we are back to directing kindness to ourselves with a practice that will build slowly. Once you are on your mat though you might want to keep exploring on your own 🙂
