Why Kindness Counts for So Much for All of Us
By Sandy Schroeder
If you have ever taken time out from your day to help someone else, you know how giving works. The more you give the more you get back, the better you feel.
I saw this at close range when I took my kids out during the holidays to help others. We baked cookies, wrapped presents and showed up at the local senior center and children’s ward in our local hospital. We also made regular trips to our local marine center to help out with the rescue efforts of baby seals. Our holidays were always busy, filled with good food and lots of parties, but my kids always talked the most about our efforts to help others.
Kindness really is the glue that keeps our world together. If you don’t believe it, smile when you bump into someone’s cart at the grocery. You are quite likely to get a surprised smile and apology in return.
Here’s DumbLittleMan.com’s suggestions for small acts of kindness to try today.
When in doubt smile - In traffic, in crowds, whenever the lines are long and patience grows short, use a smile to lighten the mood.
See the funny side - When tension builds and anger bubbles up, it’s always good to have someone around who can see the funny side. My middle son was especially good at this. When anger flared, he could always come up with a funny observation to make all of us collapse with laughter. All of the tension was forgotten and life moved on.
Look for good and say so – When you reach out to tell someone how good they look, or how great their work is, you may make their whole day. Keep right on going and speak up when you see good things happening.
Really listen to others - When you are talking with others at lunch, in meetings, or over dinner, make the effort to hear what they are saying. When you do, you may have the start of a great conversation where you both connect.
Stop to help - Too often we see homeless people in our communities, struggling to keep life together. Take the time to tell them of local available facilities and help them along with their day.
Say thank you a lot - Offer a genuine thank you with a smile when someone provides a service.
Surprise a loved one - Fix their favorite French toast or bake the cookies they love to let them know you care. Or help them out with laundry or cleaning. They are sure to return the favor.
This is just a starter list of all of the small random acts of kindness that we can do for others. Make sure you do a few every day and enjoy the lift that giving always gives.
To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Morrisville, N.C.