Life a Little More Tender-Random Acts of Kindness Archives

March 10, 2017

Kyle’s Birthday Wish

Today’s inspiration comes from my friend, and fellow realtor, Kyle. Both of us run our real estate businesses from Keller Williams Realty in Joplin. We’ve completed transactions together, attended BOLD classes, traveled to conventions together, and walked with each other through the loss of a mutual friend.

Today is Kyle’s 31st birthday. I love the post he shared on a social media site this morning. Most of us welcome the birthday greetings that fill our Facebook walls, and I’m sure Kyle appreciated those as well. However, my friend made a unique request, tagging me and 93 others:

I was in! What a great way to celebrate Kyle by helping others through random acts of kindness. With plans to be in Arkansas this afternoon, I toted along a baggie of quarters, sticky notes and scotch tape.

After a delicious plant based lunch at a Thai restaurant in Rogers, Greg and I located a nearby laundry mat. It had the auspicious name of Happy Coin Laundry. Perfect.

Inside I taped the plastic bag, with quarters and a note tucked inside, to a Maytag commercial washer. The note simply said, Please use these quarters! and included the phrase #passiton at the bottom.

Kyle’s instructions were to post a pic of the random act of kindness on his Facebook wall, with the hashtag #HappyBirthdayKyle.

I appreciate Kyle so much. When we run into each other at the office, he never fails to give me a brilliant smile and a warm hug. We have great conversations, about work, and about life. I appreciate the way this bright young man cares for his family, his clients and his colleagues. He has a heart for people and a desire to be the best possible version of himself.

Happy 31st birthday Kyle. Thank you for the awesome challenge today, to spread joy. You inspired me and others and in your name, kindness was offered. What an amazing way to celebrate life, and you!

February 13, 2017

Post a Positive Note Somewhere

Today was Day Two in Random Acts of Kindness Week. The challenge issued for Monday, from the randomactsof.us app, was to post positive notes around my city. My grandson Dayan and I did a similar activity in 2014, writing encouraging notes and placing them on the windshields of random cars parked in a large mall parking lot. Both of us pushed beyong the edges of our comfort zones to carry out that mission, and had a blast.

I was excited to carry out this activity today, leaving notes in easily accessible locations around Joplin.

I used small cream papers and brightly colored pens to create positive notes. Some of my favorites quotes came to mind, inspiring words that I turn to often, and I went with those.

In a few minutes, I had not one but six notes with positive messages on them, including this one from my favorite author, JRR Tolkien:

Not all who wander are lost.

I didn’t question the appropriateness of the quote. If it popped into my head, I used it. Part of the fun, and trust, of doing random acts is not knowing the outcome. I don’t know who found the notes or what impact the quotes had on their lives. I don’t need to know. Not knowing the finder’s life circumstances means I let go of what I perceive might happen and let the Divine do the guiding.

This was a fun mission. I didn’t get all of the notes placed today. I’ll finish that task tomorrow, along with carrying out a new activity.

What happened, though, as I moved through my day, was that my awareness of being kind was heightened. I noticed people. I smiled at and chatted with more strangers. I said “yes” more, gave a donation to Children’s Miracle Network when asked to at the convenience store, helped people from a place of joy and lightness.

I was more kind today, as I tucked my little notes around town. And that is what Random Acts of Kindness Week is all about.

February 12, 2017February 12, 2017

Kindness is Contagious-Pass It On

I love that the moment I woke up this morning, and asked How shall we play today?, an answer was given. I was reminded that today is the beginning of Random Acts of Kindness Week. I had not consciously recalled that fact until I asked the question.

I first discovered this week long event in 2014, during my Year of Firsts. It has been my practice since, and my joy and privilege, to participate each year.

What I did differently this year was that I registered on the Random Acts of Kindness website. They have an interactive site with daily challenges and stories and a way to track my actions, for my own benefit.

I was delighted to see that one of the challenges was to practice self kindness. What a great way to kick off the week. Sunday is normally my self care day. And in the same way that loving myself overflows into loving others, being kind to myself naturally flows into kindness toward another.

I prepared my simple morning meal…warm lemon water and a fruit smoothie…and had breakfast in bed. Gathering colored pencils and my altered book, I further practiced self kindness by creating another page in my art journal, all from the comfort of my cozy bed, with brilliant sunshine streaming in through the windows. Bliss. Tenderness. Creativity. Kindness. And I was prepared for a week of conscious kindness.

Today’s challenge during Random Acts of Kindness Week.

I am excited to participate in this week of random kindness. Not all of it will be geared toward strangers. Kindness is appropriate to offer to everyone, including friends and family and animals. However, it is fun to do something kind for someone I don’t know, and remain anonymous in the act.

It is not a coincidence that Valentine’s Day is celebrated during this week as well. For many people, this is a difficult holiday. Rather than focusing on the lack of a romantic relationship, or a relationship that disappoints or is complicated or is less than desired, how amazing if more people focused on showing kindness, and love, toward others.

During this chaotic time, in our country and in the world, what if there was less talk and more action? Less divisiveness and more unity? Less hostility and more kindness? Doing acts of kindness without taking credit for it bypasses the ego and lets the heart take the lead. There is no need to keep score, for these genuine acts are not done for the sake of reciprocity, but done to send positive, loving energy out into the world.

No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.

What a perfect way to make life a little more tender. Won’t you join me this week, in being kind?