How to Make the World a Kinder Place - Pinterest pinToday’s topic is how to make the world a kinder place, but before we get into that, I just want to give you a quick heads-up and let you know about a cool giveaway! I was interviewed earlier this week by Kimberly Morand over at All Work & No Play Makes Mommy Go Something Something, and she’s giving away two signed copies of my new book, fearLESS: How to Conquer Your Fear, Stop Playing Small, and Start Living an Extraordinary Life You Love.

The entry details are at the bottom of the interview page (you need to scroll right to the bottom, under all the social media links). I’ve set up a link at vibeshifting.com/interview that will take you to the right page, but you need to enter the contest before Sunday March 6th in order to be eligible. So again, that address to enter for your chance to win one of two signed copies of fearLESS is vibeshifting.com/interview.

Now, onto today’s topic!

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Making the world a kinder place

Monday was February 29th – (Leap Day!) — And I came across something that made me smile. Apparently, the fine folks in Saratoga County in the U.S. decided to call it “Leap of Kindness Day”. They use this extra day in the year to promote kindness and to encourage all people to do something kind for others, which I thought was a great way to use an extra day.

Two simple strategies to create a kinder world! #kindness Click To Tweet

So, in honour of Leap of Kindness Day, today we are talking about how to make the world a kinder place, because I think most of us would probably agree that one of things we’d all like to see more of in our lives and in the world at large is kindness.

Two ways to make the world a kinder place

But do we go about manifesting more kindness? How do we make the world a kinder place? As with anything else that we want to manifest or with any kind of change that we want to create in our lives, there are two things that we can do:

  1. Focus on what we want to see more of, rather than fearing what we want to avoid
  2. Be the change we want to see

Strategy #1: Focus on Kindness

So if it’s kindness that we want to manifest, the first thing we can do is to focus on kindness, and we can do that in two ways:

Look for kindness.

Look for the ways in which kindness gets demonstrated all around you – look for the small kindnesses, and the big ones that happen every single day. Once you make it a point to start looking for them, you’re going to start seeing more and more of them everywhere you go. Make a log of these kindnesses – when you’re feeling sad or overwhelmed by the world, then read your kindness log. It will rekindle your belief in humanity and the general goodness of the world.

Remember past kindnesses.

What’s the kindest thing anyone has ever done for you? Or what’s the most recent kind thing that someone has done for you? Think back. I know there’s something there in the recesses of your mind, so bring out that memory and bask in it for a while!

For example, just before Christmas the kids were off school and I had a bunch of errands to run. I was stressed and the kids were getting cranky, and I still had to stop and get groceries, and I grumped at the kids for playing with things on the rack at the checkout line and told them to go wait for me at the end of the cash while I put the groceries on the conveyor and NOT TO TOUCH ANYTHING.

What is the kindest thing anyone has ever done for you? #kindness Click To Tweet

Next thing I knew, my five-year-old was walking up to me with a bouquet of fresh-cut flowers in her hands. I looked at her and tried to stifle my impatience. I told her we didn’t need flowers and to put them back (“I told you not to touch anything!”). She just stood there holding the flowers out to me and the lady at the cash said “It’s OK. Our produce manager told her to give them to you. No charge. They’re a gift. Merry Christmas!”

In my stressed-out, trying to make sure I got through my “to do” list state of mind, I hadn’t even noticed anyone else at the other end of the cash. So, I don’t even know who this produce manager was, and I never got to say thank you because he just handed those flowers to my daughter and disappeared elsewhere into the story. But he made my day with that act of kindness.

Strategy #2: Be the Change

The second thing we can do to help manifest more kindness into our lives and into the world is to be the change that we want to see. In other words, if we want to see more kindness, then we should start creating it ourselves. There’s a lovely quote out there that says: “if the world seems cold to you, kindle fires to warm it”.

In other words: be kind!

Generate kindness yourself.

Use that stuff like fairy dust and sprinkle it everywhere you go. It’s so easy to be kind to others, and it doesn’t have to cost a dime:

  • You can give a stranger a compliment or a smile.
  • You can give someone you care about a hug.
  • You can invite a neighbour over for a cup of tea.
  • You can thank the coffee shop girl for making your awesome coffee.

Another story: When I worked downtown, I used to stop at this one particular Starbucks for a coffee every morning, and the early-morning barrista there was so freaking cheerful, she always made my morning brighter, and I made it a point one day to thank her for that. She beamed even more brightly than usual and told me I had just made her day.

It really doesn’t take a lot to be kind to others.

And the really cool thing is that it causes ripple effects. When you’re nice to people it puts them in a better mood and inspires them to be kind to others in return, causing a kind of chain-reaction of awesomeness that extends much farther than you’ll ever know.

It doesn’t take a lot to #BeKind! What will you do to promote #kindness today? Click To Tweet

So my challenge for you this week is to go forth and be an ambassador of kindness. Look for kindness, remember past kindnesses, and add to the global kindness quotient by being kind yourself. And be sure to let me know what you’re doing to make the world a kinder place – tweet me @VibeShifting and share your kindness stories!

photo credit: pixabay.com cc (modified by me)

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