Far too often, we are consumed by the negativity that we think both surrounds our personal circles and saturates our world. It’s easy to get caught up in conversation about things that that are challenging, confusing, or hurtful. It’s even easier to get carried away in judgement, automatically having a negative view on a person, situation, or idea. Absolutely-there are plenty of bad things happening that we could get swallowed in-if that’s where we choose to place our energy and attention. But for every unkind circumstance that you may hear about, there are probably five wonderful things happening around you to counter act it. Sound surprising? That’s because these aren’t always the things we chose to pay attention to. Lucky for us, there’s an entire week on the calendar dedicated to changing that. February 14th-February 20th is National Random Acts of Kindness Week. We no longer have an excuse to overlook our capacity to share kindness, generate positive conversation, and spread hope. It is vital to take care of ourselves, but one of the best ways to do this is to remind ourselves just how much of a difference we can make-and to take advantage of that ability. The simplest thing can completely change someone’s day, which can lead to changing their outlook. Take this week to inspire those around you by doing even the smallest, seemingly powerless thing. There’s a national day to celebrate Nutella. There’s a national day to celebrate pizza. There’s a national day to celebrate cats. Here are some ideas for how you can take this week to celebrate the simple power of generosity.
Sunday: Hold open the door for someone.
Monday: After paying for your coffee and before walking away, tell the barista that you hope she has a good day.
Tuesday: Leave a note for your roommate reminding her how beautiful she is.
Wednesday: Make a donation, no matter how small, to a charity of your choice that fights a cause you truly believe in.
Thursday: Send a text to someone you love that you don’t get to see often and remind them why they are so special to you.
Friday: Give someone a compliment.
Saturday: Thank someone-anyone-that’s made a difference in your day, whether it was big or small. Let them know that their kindness matters.