Hi loves! The cherry blossoms are basking and blushing in the afternoon sunbeams, and it is finally Spring. Maybe your apartment is in desperate need of TLC, or maybe your soul is. Let’s feed it some chicken soup, kindness-calendar style.
At this time of year when everything begins to sparkle in the longer days of light, I especially desire making positive contributions to my environment. This March, I have decided to create a calendar in which I complete a different ‘kindness’ activity each day – whether that be for the environment, myself, or others. I’m here to provide just a few ideas for you:
Kindness to the Environment
- Make a list of your current beauty products that are not eco-friendly (e.g. formulas that use microplastics/microbeads). Once you’ve finished the product, you might refer to the list and substitute these products with natural alternatives (e.g. sea salt, bamboo, sugar, pumice).
- Speaking of skincare, many of us dab on some sunscreen in the morning. Make the switch to sunscreen that meets ‘reef-safe’ regulations, since many products contain harmful oxybenzones and octinoxates.
- Add thrift events to your calendar so that you can buy preloved. A couple of organizations at UVA that host thrift events and pop-up shops are Wahoo Swap and FFA (Futures in Fashion Association).
- Volunteer at UVA’s Morven Kitchen Garden!
Kindness to Yourself
- Attend a unique speaker-series hosted by UVA.
- Splurge on a meal for the soul (my friend swears by Umma’s)!
- Take part in a day without technology and schedule face-to-face interactions with friends and classmates (notify friends and family beforehand).
- Research and create your own Cycle Sync calendar! To live in alignment with your cycle can help you become more in-tune with your hormonal needs and maximize your energy.
Kindness to Others
Relief is needed long after disasters, and Turkey and Syria are still reeling from earthquake devastation. You might consider a donation to the charities below, rated highly for earthquake relief efforts:
- Syrian American Medical Society Foundation
- Center for Disaster Philanthropy
- Plan International Inc.
- Direct Relief
Whenever you plan to donate to a charity, research it beforehand to make sure it is reputable. You can use sites like Charity Navigator to do so.
Nevertheless, for many conflicts we have to rethink international aid so that it reaches victims. Palestinians have been violently oppressed for more than fifty years, and are in need of increased international support. While donations to charities like the Palestine Children’s Relief Fund can certainly help, corruption does not allow for many resources to reach Palestinians.
- Visit Gaza Unlocked for stories from Palestinians about life under blockade and how we can help. Choose an item and take action.
- Hold corporations accountable! View this list of companies that profit from the blockade and the Israeli occupation and see if your money is contributing to corporations that violate human rights.
- Pick out a book from this Penguin Random House reading list to educate yourself on the conflict.
There are so many ways to cultivate compassion, and while living in the moment is important, intentional planning can sometimes increase our fulfillment. Wishing you all a lovely Spring!