The Kindness in Action Program creates a daily consciousness of kindness at home, in your workplace and in the community. Research has repeatedly proven that kindness helps us to be happier, healthier, more productive, and have better relationships.
Our schools, organizations and neighborhoods are faced every day with negative events that impact our safety, joy and productivity. Kindness in Action is a mindfulness-based resiliency program that teaches you to not only cope, but to thrive when faced with life’s stressors or challenges. When applying the steps to your daily life, you will create a consciousness around kindness and learn how to be more compassionate, both to yourself and to others.
Today, I wanted to take a moment to break down the first three steps of the Kindness in Action Program.
STEP ONE: Engage in Acts of Kindness
An Act of Kindness can take minutes or even seconds. To start creating your daily consciousness, commit to a planned or random act of kindness. For example, I reach out to one person each day and simply ask, “How are you?” This has given me an opportunity to connect with people from the past or someone I am thinking about, but haven’t taken the time to reach out to, or perhaps someone who may be struggling or going through a life transition.
Everyday kindness helps to create a better day for yourself and others. When we perform an act of kindness, we start to feel better and have more purpose and connection.
The coronavirus has given us the perfect opportunity to practice these simple kind acts, as so many of our friends and colleagues are struggling with this new reality.
STEP TWO: Learn to Pause
One of the greatest mind disciplines we can teach ourselves is to learn to pause. Learning to pause helps us slow down enough to change a negative behavior or pattern of thinking, be more present and make better choices.
Just the other day, I was triggered and felt irritated because I did not feel that I was being heard and wanted to prove my point. I noticed my aggressive thoughts and how they felt in my body. I decided to pause, calm down, and find a more neutral and thoughtful state.
Pausing helped me to gain perspective and understand the other point of view. It also helped me communicate with a more approachable tone. Therefore, my conversation had a more constructive outcome.
Taking a few seconds, or as much time as you need, to find that place of calm will improve your overall well-being and allow for a more positive connection with yourself and others.
STEP THREE: Be Present with Others
One of the ways to be more connected is being present with others.
It doesn’t matter if the interaction is with a stranger or someone we know, or whether it’s in person or virtual, or if it’s a few seconds or minutes, when we stop to be present, we are acknowledging others.
A positive aspect of the coronavirus quarantine that I have noticed, is when speaking with others on the phone or on Zoom, we seem more present and are multi-tasking less. As a result, my conversations have been more meaningful and connected.
Being Present when interacting with others shows that you value them and creates a stronger connection.
Stay tuned for the next installment of this blog series, which will introduce Steps 4-6 of the Kindness in Action Program.
