Love is in the air as Valentine’s Day approaches. We think of the special people in our lives and what we can do for them on the day of “love” to make them smile. But did you ever think that sharing “random acts of kindness”, even with a stranger, can relate to the heart too?
When my husband and I moved to North Carolina years ago, we noticed that our quality of life improved but just couldn’t put our finger on what exactly it was that made life feel calmer and easier. We were quickly back into the grind of working long hours, dealing with daily stresses at work, yet we felt happier. It finally occurred to me it was the subtle, little daily experiences that made all the difference. It was the exchange of smiles in the grocery store with a stranger, stopping to chat with a neighbor while out for a walk or the way the neighbor’s rushed to help when a family crisis occurred.
Yes, it’s the simple little actions we can all take, at any age, to reduce our stress and spread the love, while putting a smile on someone’s face. These small acts of kindness are now becoming part of school curriculum’s, learn how!
We know it makes us feel good, but research has now reinforced the positive effects this has on a person’s well-being. In fact, some schools are now incorporating “SEL” (Social-emotional learning) into their curriculum and have found that students who engage in these practices showed vast improvements in behavior both in and out of school, mood, conflict resolution, academic improvements, and overall improved well-being. Those little acts of kindness sure do go a long way!
This week is “random acts of kindness week”, which is a great time to spread the kindness! Involve the children and challenge everyone in the family to perform just one random act of kindness each day, then share it with each other at dinner. You may be thinking “I don’t have time for this”, but imagine the impact this can have if all of our children learned to take just 5 minutes a day to get into this habit, how we would all be much happier and calmer. It can be contagious too!
There is nothing like the feeling of putting a smile on someone’s face! Here are some examples to start the week…
- Visit someone who is sick or lonely
- Take a moment to share kind words with a stranger
- Send an email to let someone know you appreciate them
- Help someone carry something
- Offer to walk an elderly or sick neighbors’ dog
- Give a family member or friend an extra hug
- Pick up something around the house
- Send a card to someone who is feeling down
Remember…
“Whenever there is human need, there is an opportunity for kindness and to make a difference.”
Kevin Heath, CEO “More 4Kids”
Happy Valentine’s Day!
