You may or may not know, but there seems to be a lot going on this Friday! Not only is it the ominous Friday 13th, but it is also the Children in Need appeal day, World Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Day and World Kindness Day.
In our office, we’ll be celebrating World Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Day to raise money for the utterly fantastic 15 in 15 – a fundraising effort set up by my colleague, lovely Rachel, to raise money for the charity Pancreatic Cancer UK after her Dad sadly died last year. We’re going to wear purple in support of the charity and pop our spare pennies into a jar. To find out more about Rachel and her family’s campaign, then check out their fundraising page here.
Just as Rachel has a cause close to her heart, for me personally, World Kindness Day is not something I’d heard about before this year. But it’s an idea and a campaign that resonates with me personally. A small act of kindness can make such a big difference in someone’s life. You never know what’s going on behind the scenes in their life – you never know how much a simple gesture might change someone’s life.
So as World Kindness Day is today, Friday 13th November, I thought I’d share some easy ways to show the people around you really how much you care with small acts of kindness.
1. Get in touch with someone when something reminds you of them.
Whether it’s a LOLworthy Timehop screen shot or a piece of clothing that you think would look awesome on your friend – let them know! It’s so lovely to get a spontaneous message that someone is thinking of you. It can spark a conversation, it put a smile on your face and it can give you the warm fuzzies inside. For the sake of a small text, it’s so worth it.
2. Say thank you.
A little word that goes a long way. Letting someone know when you appreciate them is a powerful thing to do. It’s that simple!
3. Do something unexpected.
I hate washing up. H-A-T-E it. I always have. There’s something indescribably repulsive about putting my hands into warm water that has bits floating around in it. Makes me want to vom. So I avoid it like the plague. Andrew and I have a dishwasher and I’ll happily stick everything in there. Unfortunately there are some bits that aren’t meant to go in there or wouldn’t survive it. So sometimes there is washing up to be done and Andrew does it all the time. The odd time that he comes home and I have done the washing up really makes him happy, because he knows how much I hate it and he knows that the only reason I’d do it is for him. It’s certainly unexpected and it is a way of showing I care.
4. Send a handwritten card or note.
Snail mail lives on! And the shops are absolutely stacked full of cute postcards or cards that are perfect for just dropping someone a line to say hello, happy birthday or thank you. I absolutely love getting post – when I’m away I ask Andrew at least a couple of times a day week whether I’ve had any. It drives him mad. BUT it’s so nice for something unexpected to drop through your door. Even if you don’t post it and leave a note for your other half to read when they get home from work. My teacher bessie Heather once sent me a card in an envelope covered in stickers. BEST POST DAY EVER.
5. Recognise when people might be feeling at their lowest and reach out to them.
As human beings, we always feel better when we feel understood and appreciated. If you think someone else is going through a tough time – reach out to them. They might not have felt comfortable or happy enough to say that they are feeling low. But by offering them a nice gesture – like any of the ones I’ve suggested above! – then you might just give them the support they need. Like I said at the start, you never know what’s going on for someone else.
So on this World Kindness Day 2015, why not take five minutes out of your day to do something for someone else? Send a text, say thank you, do something unexpected, send a card or reach out to someone struggling. It’s literally that easy.
And throughout all of that, we must all remember to be kind to ourselves! Stay tuned for a post about the best ways to take care of yourself soon.
What have you done today that was kind? Is there something you can do today you wouldn’t normally? Please share below!
♥ JH
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