THE NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTION YOU WANT TO MAKE!
In my last blog post, I told you not to bother with New Year's resolutions. They tend to be vague and overwhelming (lose weight, exercise more) and so you quit within the first few weeks. It's no surprise that only 8% of those who make resolutions actually follow through on them.
What if I told you there is a resolution you can make that is easy to accomplish?
Suppose I said you can accomplish it with minimal effort each and every day?
How would you feel knowing this resolution will make you feel happier?
THE RESOLUTION?
Do something for someone else each and every day.
Your act can be big or small.
The deed can be a grand gesture or a small kindness.
WHY?
Looking for opportunities to help a stranger, compliment a loved one, or support a friend in need is incredibly rewarding to both you and the recipient of your kindness.
Think back to your last act of random kindness. Didn't it feel great? Did it provide you with a feeling of warmth and happiness?
The daily act can be as simple as holding a door open, aiding an elderly person, or really listening to a friend. Like anything, the more you do it, the easier it becomes.
TWO OF MY FAVORITE THINGS
I'd like to share with you two small ways I have found to show kindness to others. A surprising 'side-effect' is that it also makes me feel great.
1. YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL
If you visit the You Are Beautiful website you will find these incredible little stickers that simply say "you are beautiful." I carry them in my wallet and give them to friends, relatives, and especially people in service industries who provide service with a smile (even when the patrons are cranky and demanding.)
I've given them to Starbucks baristas, supermarket cashiers, and gate agents at the airport, to name a few. They are all so appreciative of the gesture even though it's just a little sticker. Special thanks to Sherri Tobias for introducing me to this concept!
2. KIND BARS
If you've read Daniel Lubetzky's book, Do the Kind Thing, you know that the KIND Snacks company (Lubetzky is founder and CEO) views spreading kindness as a core value. Lubetzky's father was a Holocaust survivor. The name "KIND" was partly a reference to the random kindness of a German soldier who gave his dad food that kept him from starving.
I buy KIND bars by the case (my family loves them.) When purchased on Amazon, they cost just a little over a dollar a bar. I carry a few extra bars in my bag so that when I encounter someone going out of the way to be helpful to me or someone else, I thank them for their kindness and hand them a bar.
For those of you in the NY Metro area, I'm sure you have noticed the increase in homeless people on the streets of Manhattan. If I pass a homeless person, I will hand them a KIND bar and a bottle of water. It's not a warm bed, but it let's them know they are not invisible and that people care.
These are only two examples of the tons of simple ways to show kindness and appreciation of others.
Will you join me in my New Year's resolution of doing something for someone else every day?
Can you suggest some other acts of kindness?
May 2017 be a year filled with peace and kindness for all.
For more great tips, check out these recent blog posts:
