Choose Kindness for Yourself, Others and the Planet

We need to double down on kindness.

Choosing kindness for yourself, others and the planet is good for the health and wellness of all.  Life’s stressors coupled with daily news can heighten your anxiety.  Find your balance by increasing positive messaging in your life and in the lives of others.  Kindness is the simplest thing you can do to make a difference for yourself, others, and the planet. 

All people respond positively to kindness. Think about a time when someone said something kind to you. Your insides light up, right?  A kind word or gesture can mean so much, whether it comes from someone you know or a complete stranger. Even random acts of kindness have a positive impact. Kindness is a gentle and powerful way to lift someone up. When someone is kind to you, it makes you feel good.  You want to pass it on.  Kindness is contagious and it gives joy to both the giver and the receiver. 

Be Kind to Yourself

Start your kindness journey by being your own best friend.  Give yourself grace, and flood your thoughts with positive messages and taking kind actions. They do not need to be big, but they can have a big impact. Kindness is like a muscle – the more you flex it, the easier it is to flex!

One way to be kind to yourself is to create a list of the things that you like. Focus on small things that make you smile or relax you. For example, I love my morning tea and a cappuccino in the afternoon. I have made it a habit to sit a few minutes and relax while sipping my hot drink. This is one of the little things I do to help me get out of my head and enjoy a moment. This is only one example, but there are many little things to try!  Consider treating yourself to something yummy, spending time with people who make you laugh, moving your body through dance, exercise, or other physical activity, eating healthy, meditating, reading, listening to music, and more! Once you have your list, make it a habit to be kind to yourself several times a day. 

Be Kind to Others

The best thing you can do for someone else is to stop and ask “How are you doing?”  Then listen. When someone asks you this in kindness, the recipient feels you care, and may even relax at the opportunity to share their thoughts and feelings.  Humans are social creatures, and it feels so good to have someone else see you and care about how you are doing. When it comes to family it is easy to get stuck in routines, so shake it up with a little surprise kindness. 

In The Little Book of Kindness, there is a whole section on how to be kind to the people you love the most. The top ten list includes treating them to breakfast in bed, leaving them notes that they will find later in the day, and making them their favorite food. When it comes to strangers it can be more difficult. We know that being kind to others that you do not know is putting yourself out there. You may smile at a stranger but not get one in return. It is a risk, but it’s well worth it. Your kind actions make a difference!

There are so many ways to be kind. For example, it can be a smile, holding a door open, a thoughtful note, thanking someone, being a good listener, treating someone to coffee or tea. There is even an organization dedicated to random acts of kindness, with materials and ideas to inspire you. So select some kind of activities that suit you and share them with the world. It will make you happier and give joy to someone else.

Be Kind to the Planet 

Humans and our planet are intimately linked. We need to be able to make choices that benefit the planet and all life. One of the best ways to be kind is to be more environmentally aware. Think about your actions and consider how you might reduce your carbon footprint.

To get started, look to be a more conscious consumer. Consider if you need new or can buy used. Buy more durable goods from companies that are making changes to reduce their footprint.

Certified B-corporations are companies who have been verified as are dedicated to environmental sustainability.  Some of One Planet Life’s favorites are:

• Patagonia has wonderful products and is deeply focused on the community and the environment.
• Looptworks is a business that re-purposes and epicycles abandoned, pre-consumer, and post-consumer materials into limited edition products.
• Check out a complete list of B Corporations here.

Other ways to be kind to the planet include reducing your water usage and use of single-use plastics, which clog up our waterways and bidegrade into microplastics that wildlife (and even humans!) ingest. Plant a tree in your area or support your local parks, wetlands, and local land. Or donate to an organization you care about like the World Wildlife Fund, The Nature Conservancy, or One Tree Planted.

Get started today by identifying your kindness list!

Start with actions for yourself and then move on to being kind to others and the planet. You can even use a journal or a kindness tracker to help you give this aspect of life more attention. Then once a week, take a look and reflect on the happiness you are creating through kindness.  Get better balance in your day and increase your own positivity by engaging in kind acts!

Kindness is the easiest way to make the world better.  Choose kindness with us!