Flexing your "Kindness Muscle"

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It's a new year...again.  Where DOES the time go?  Anywho, a lot of us use the beginning of the calendar to make resolutions, like eating better, quitting smoking, going to the gym.

Another way to make positive changes in your life (and others') is to show kindness.  From RandomActsofKindness.org, here are 15 ways to exercise your “Kindness Muscle” this year:

1.      Year of Kindness Box: Create a New Year’s tradition. On the first day of the new year, start a Year of Kindness Box. Throughout the year, fill up the box with: compliments you received, thank you notes, moments of kindness you witnessed, acts of kindness you did, inspiring quotes, etc. Then after the year is over, review the contents!

2.      Create a Gratitude Journal: A five-minute a day gratitude journal can increase your long-term well-being by more than 10 percent. That’s the same impact as doubling your income!" From Happier Human 

3.      Three Compliments: Compliment the first three people you talk to.

4.      52 Thank You Notes: Express your gratitude for the people in your life, write one thank you note every week to a different person: Need a quick thank-you note format? Check out The Five Minute Thank You Note.

 

5.      A Kind Twist on Happy Hour: Invite a group of people you know (friends, family, coworkers) to the happiest of happy hours and spend one hour doing acts of kindness for others.

6.      Positive Sticky Notes: Carry a stack of positive sticky notes with you wherever I go. Post them when you're somewhere that needs a little bit more kindness.

7.      Morning Kindness: Before you get out of bed, focus on kindness. Think of a kind motto for your day or text a positive good morning note to a friend.

8.      Daily Positivity: Every day, think of a random person. Send them a positive message (text, email, social media post, phone call, letter, etc.).

9.      Volunteer: Think of a cause you care about or a group in your community that could use some help. Volunteering has some serious health benefits too.

10.  Beautify Your Surroundings: Spend 10 minutes picking up litter in your neighborhood, park or other commonly visited locations.

 

11.  Kind Body Image: Place positive body image sticky notes on dressing room mirrors.

12.  Coupon Fairy: Save unused/unwanted coupons and put them next to relevant products next time you're at the grocery store.

13.  Be Kind to the Earth: Research ways to be kind to the environment and reduce your carbon footprint. Here are seven ideas to get you started.

14.  Smile: According to an article from Psychology Today, "Each time you smile, you throw a little feel-good party in your brain. The act of smiling activates neural messaging that benefits your health and happiness."

15.  Self-Kindness: Do one kind thing every week for yourself. Enjoy a treat you love, exercise, eat a healthy meal, or do something you love and rarely have time to do.

 


(c) Copyright 2014-15. Robyn M. King. All Rights Reserved.