My day always begins in gratitude and prayer. After all, when we take the time to acknowledge the things in life that we should be grateful for we are likely to receive even more reasons to be grateful. One of the first things I say each morning when I open my eyes is an acknowledgment that reminds me that if I have air in my lungs that means there is something I’m meant to accomplish today to make the world a better place. Knowing that G-d is betting on me, empowers me to bet on myself and make the most of each day and every moment. Is it always easy to start my day with this thought? Of course not. We all go through periods of ups and downs. The real test is whether we can find out way back to our center.
After I pray, generally the first thing I do before getting into full work mode is spend 20-30 min reading and responding to youtube and facebook comments from people reaching out to share gratitude or even better to share their own story. Connecting with people, listening to their hopes and dreams brings me so much happiness and fills me with a great sense of joy. With a positive attitude I can then begin my day and know I’ll be radiating that same positive energy outwards.
Inspiration means something different for everyone. For me, inspiration can be found in a song, in a movie, in the smile of a child, on a train ride and in simply experiencing the world and connecting with people.
Inspiration is something I believe can be found in everyone, in everything, at every moment and in every circumstance. The question becomes are we willing to see it, to uncover it, to become aware of its presence. Our eye is a muscle. Just like any other muscle in our body it must be worked out, used often and cultivated to begin to see the good. The more we do so, the more goodness is reflected back at us. What we must ask ourselves each morning when we wake up and take a deep breathe is how we will choose to see the world around us. Through the lens of inspiration and kindness or do we prefer to remain blind to the signs of goodness that pop up as we head out on our day.
I see and draw inspiration from each and every person I have the privilege to come into contact with. I always say that my job is falling in love with people more and more each day. I have the opportunity through Life Vest Inside, to connect with people from across the globe every day. People of various backgrounds, cultures, religions, races – but there exists one commonality – kindness. The good I have the privilege to witness each day is awe inspiring; it fuels me forward in spite of the hardships and obstacles that undoubtedly come my way.
However, the absolute greatest source of inspiration for me comes from above – comes from God. By observing I’ve come to learn how to love, how to give and how infuse kindness and goodness to no end. Why? Because it’s unconditional and pure. I’ve learned to give through experiencing how much God has been given to me.
I was a middle school teacher for 7 amazing years; years in which I learned as much as I taught. Kindness, compassion, empathy, character, values. These were the fundamental teachings that ensued both in and out of the classroom. As a teenager, I had gone through a severe depression in my tenth grade year after a fire broke out in my house. It was one of those years where everything that could go wrong went wrong. And while I was always super positive, believing wholeheartedly that everything happens for a reason, seeing my family, above all my parents, struggle hurt me to my core. Not wanting to be an additional burden and not knowing where to turn, I simply bottled up my feelings until they began eating away at me from the inside out. I was home from school for a couple of months and I remember crying for most of that time. What hurt the most is that during those two months not one person came to visit, not one person called to check in on me. The fire took away the materialistic possessions, but not hearing from people made me feel as though I was irrelevant, that if I weren’t here tomorrow no one would be the wiser. I was extremely shy as a teenager with super low confidence, but I always loved people and made it a point to go out of my way for people. Feeling like I was left behind made me feel as though I didn’t make an impact, as though I was insignificant and those feelings eat away at you in a way like no other.
After being forced to go back to school, I was not the studious, happy go lucky kid that had left a couple months back. Sitting in the corner, all in black, writing morbid poetry was now my place within it all. I was angry, hurt, confused and feelings of hopelessness consumed me. It was one morning while I was washing up that something shifted. As I was looking at myself deeply in the mirror, I no longer saw myself. That 4-year-old kid who believed she had the power to change the world was gone; it was as though someone had taken her from me. That feeling scared me most of all. It was that day, as a 15 year old kid, that I made a promise to myself. A promise that would remain in my heart until this very day. A promise that led me to teaching, that led me to start my organization, a promise that guides me each and every day. I promised myself to be there for others the way I had wished someone would have been there for me. To see others the way I wished someone would have seen me. Those next few years of high school were tough, to say the least. While I walked alone, it afforded me the chance to do something that most teenagers don’t get a chance to do, to do something most adults don’t get a chance to do. It afforded me the opportunity to fall in love with me for me. It was no longer about fitting into a certain click or acting in a certain way to impress someone. I was who I was for me and no one else and I found myself in that loneliness, I found my voice within that silence.
Then in my senior year of high school it had all come to a head and I was finally ready to step into the person I knew I was always meant to become. I’ll never forget it. I was on senior seminar, sitting in a session with my fellow peers and the teacher was discussing obstacles and overcoming adversity. For the very first time I did something I never did before. I raised my hand. I had something to contribute to the conversation. I opened my mouth and words poured forward from my heart. My peers, people I used to be intimidated by, were listening to me and, what’s more, coming to me afterwards asking for advice. What I found was that the more I gave, the more I healed and the more I gave the more I healed. I became obsessed and in love with the concept of giving and understanding its very nature and how it transforms a person by providing the most coveted possession of all – PURPOSE.
I stepped into my own during my senior year, literally becoming involved in every after school activity and charity work as I could possibly handle. Soon enough I began mentoring at risk kids, speaking in front of crowds and leading seminars myself.
It was that same energy and motivation that led me to teaching. Understanding the importance of a child feeling and internalizing their self worth, their inherent value regardless of how pretty they are, how smart they are, how athletic they are, are or how wealthy they are. I wanted to be a mirror for those children, helping them see the true beauty that lies within them, a beauty that no one could take away. For me, teaching wasn’t simply about handing over facts and figures but educating the soul of a child. It was about breaking down the barriers of class distinction and showing the kids that whether you were the “popular” kid in the grade or whether you were the “loner” – everyone has insecurities; some just show theirs differently. It was once they were able to see each other in the same light that true connection began to form and that is exactly where growth and strength of character comes from.
If you don’t give up you’ll never fail.
I would also say that it’s something my dad always says, “Orly, G-d is BIG.” My dad always says this. He has been through so many hardships throughout his life and regardless how big of an obstacle has taken him by surprise, he always places G-d at the top. His level of trust, faith and belief have inspired me since childhood and is most certainly what has gotten me through. It’s why I am where I am today and why I am who I am today. Without that understanding and belief I would have given up long ago.
For me, passion is what gets me through each and every day. The passion and drive to make a difference in the lives of others and even more so the passion to help others begin to catch a glimpse of their potential and what sets them apart.
The 5 Love Languages by Gary Chapman. This is an absolutely amazing book! While the book is designed for married couples, I believe each and every person can gain so much wisdom and insight from this book about relationships in general. The book discusses the 5 main love languages and provides you with tools to identify your own love language as well as the love language of those around you. By understanding how we need to engage with others to help them feel loved, we can set the scene for great relationships within our lives. As I’m reading this book I can’t help but smile as the thought process within the book is so deeply connected with that of Life Vest Inside – the concept of understanding others and empathizing. I found that my primary love language is Acts of Service. I highly recommend checking out this book.
Life Vest Inside’s mission is to inspire, educate and empower people of all backgrounds to lead a life of kindness. We achieve this through inspirational media, technology, education and on the ground events. But more than kindness, empowerment is at the center of it all. The key is to empower people to recognize their value, that they do in fact matter and while they may be one in seven billion, the number that matters the most is that they are one. When you take a look at all of the vast social issues plaguing society today and you continuously ask the question of “WHY?” – what you find is that it all stems from a lack of self value, self worth and the feeling of lacking purpose. While there are many organizations and programs aiming to combat these issues, they approach them from the “anti” mindset. Bullying – anti-bullying. Drugs – anti drugs. Depression – anti depression. War – anti war. In a sense, they are utilizing negativity to fight against negativity, which will only lead to more negativity. The mission of Life Vest Inside is to prevent these issues from coming into existence by understanding the true root of the problem as opposed to placing a band-aid on the problem. Only when you understand the underlying root cause, can you truly create a long lasting change.
In today’s world of digital media, many people get sucked into measuring the purpose and value of their lives by comparing it to what they presume to be the norm on social media. I’m a big believer in the good of social media, however anything can be used for both good and bad. The issue begins when people become addicted to viewing their value through the lens of another or based on the number of likes and comments they receive after posting a picture. True value, true validation can only come from within a person. It is precisely because of this that when a person is engaged in an act of kindness and in an act of giving they feel so good. Because in that moment they are validated for the right reasons as opposed to what society tells them should validate them. In that moment of giving they catch a glimpse of their potential, their ability to bring goodness into the world. It is that feeling that provides a person with a sense of PURPOSE. And once someone is filled with purpose they now have the capability to give back to the world in a greater way. If we think about it, true empowerment and self-value increases the number of givers in this world. The more people recognize that they have something to give, the more likely we will be able, as a people, to tackle the greatest problems that this generation faces and actually resolve them.
Without passion there would be no Life Vest Inside. Starting something from the ground up is no easy feat and even more so setting out to change the world through the power of kindness is seen by many as an unattainable feat.
Discouragement oftentimes surrounds you and most of the time it comes from the people in your immediate circle making it difficult to stick to your guns and push forward when times are hard. But above all passion is the key to lifting yourself up when the discouragement gets so strong that it begins to make you question whether you can truly see your dreams and goals through. I’ve found that it’s precisely those moments of despair that help us see if we truly are passionate about what we’ve set out to do. It’s those moments that are telling as to whether our goals are worth pursuing. Without passion, drive and the sense that you are called to do the very thing you are doing – it’s easy to throw in towel, call it quits and give in to the endless excuses. Passion has seen me through the greatest difficulties and challenges; it’s helped me tap into a strength I never knew I had. Passion goes beyond reason and logic. It’s a power, an energy and a force. Once you give into it fully there is no such thing as impossible.
I don’t think becoming an entrepreneur was a decision I consciously made or if I may be so bold to say, it’s something that chooses you. It’s a way of thinking, of living and of perceiving. In actuality I didn’t realize that the choices I was making defined me as an entrepreneur, I was simply listening to my heart that had been telling me ever since childhood that I was meant for something great. I was meant to create, to innovate to push boundaries and do the things that not many others would set out to do. I’ve always dreamed big. Truth be told, I didn’t realize I was dreaming big, because dreaming big was all I knew, dreaming big seemed natural.
Remembering the why. With the endless list of reasons we create that make us question “how” I always say if you focus on the why you’re doing something, the how will work itself out.
FOCUS on one thing and do it better than anyone else. Only then grow further. Just because something is a great idea, it doesn’t mean you should do it at the moment of conception.
Pay it Forward. I’ll never forget the first time I read the book and the first time I watched the film. It was as though someone literally peeked into my soul and vocalized all that I was feeling; the simple concept that each and every person matters and can make a difference in this world in an extraordinary way. The understanding that one act can create a boomerang of kindness. We won’t always see the impact or know that it was our positive actions that set in motion a wave of goodness. Within Trevor I saw a reflection of myself; a child who believed wholeheartedly in the good of humanity. I can say without question that Pay it Forward played a significant role in the intense passion and unwavering commitment I’ve made to pursuing a life of spreading kindness. The book was released during that period of uncertainty I was facing in high school and the film hit the screen when I had just started to find my voice in my senior year of high school, further empowering me to tap into my hidden potential. It’s no wonder that in my junior year I took my creative writing class very seriously and had a dream of becoming an author. Then in my senior year my dream further developed to wanting to direct for film. I wanted an outlet to share my voice and inspire others in the way I was inspired. You wouldn’t find me without a video camera in my hand throughout senior year; for me it was about capturing moments and creating dialogue with an audience that would inspire them to see something they never saw before.
It’s no wonder that when I went to college the following year I decided to double major in English and Film Production. I knew I was meant to share a message with the world but I was still figuring out how. I remember proclaiming in my senior year of college that I was going to make a film that would reach the world and then I would go into teaching. Turns out that life planned for it to be the exact opposite way. Through some array of circumstances I was given the opportunity to teach middle school right out of college. I’ll never forget walking into the classroom for the very first time. The sense of fear and uncertainly consumed me. Would I make a difference? Would I leave an imprint? From the very first day I fell in love with teaching and knew it was my calling. I wanted to become a Mr. Simonet for my students; a teacher who empowered, motivated and inspired her students to be the very best they can be. They were the most transformative years of my life and you can bet that Pay it Forward was a film I showed and discussed with my students; impacting them in the same way it impacted me those years before.
When I decided to shoot my short film, Kindness Boomerang, during my summer off from teaching it had been 7 years since I was involved in film and I was scared. I didn’t know if I had what it takes but I knew I had a message that needed to be shared. After shooting the film and returning to school, that 4-year-old kid started dreaming, but she started dreaming way bigger. I realized that if I was going to pursue my childhood dream I needed to go all in. I let the school know that I would be taking the following year off to see what would happen if I committed my whole self to this dream. In October 2011, I made the film public without knowing who would see it or how they would even stumble on it. Within a couple of months Kindness Boomerang went viral and the dream of making a film that would reach the world became a reality.
The real questions is what don’t I enjoy doing! I am super passionate about everything I do. Whether it be writing, creating films, playing piano or drums, listening to music, playing sports, spending time with family, watching a movie, engaging people in conversation, speaking in schools or just getting out there and connecting with people!
I never felt like work was a job for me. Directly after college I was a middle school teacher for 7 amazing years – the most transformative of my life! From there, the next piece of the puzzle of my life was Life Vest Inside. Starting this organization from the ground up was scary, exciting but above all it was a dream come true. It’s been my dream since childhood to bring people together in a way like never before. The organization started with a short film I created for the organization, Kindness Boomerang, that went viral, but it didn’t stop there! I’ve had the opportunity to draw on all of the things I enjoy doing to infuse more meaning and creativity into the work I’m doing with the organization.
Currently, I am in the midst of planning a cross country tour with my new book, Kindness Boomerang. I’ll be traveling from the west coast to the east coast on a listening and sharing tour that will not only serve to continue spreading awareness about the power of kindness, but it will also bring to light ways in which I aim to increase kindness perception within the US over the course of the next ten years. I aim to use the tour as a means to spark conversation and dialogue with people of all backgrounds around the importance of kindness and how together we can make the US a kinder place to live. I hope to inspire, empower and equip those I meet along the journey with tools to make a change in their own life and within their community. I look forward to what’s to come from this tour and perhaps a new book it may inspire.
I’m going to reveal something that I haven’t told many people.
In 8th grade, I told my principal “What you don’t know about me is that I’m the most determined person you’ll ever meet”. But being a determined person started long before that. My early schooling experiences stripped me of my self-confidence. When I was in 3rd grade, I was removed from “general education” classes and put into “resource” class – away from my peers – labeled as a learner who was different. I felt like an outcast but worst of all I lost the faith to believe that I could achieve things. I used to dread going to resource room, but a loving teacher and a small poem changed all of that.
One day we were given an assignment. The teacher handed out a short poem on a white sheet of paper. How was I to know that that paper would change my perspective and the trajectory of my life. We were told to try and memorize the poem as best we could. I took the sheet of paper in my hand and looked at the unfamiliar ideas spread onto the paper for the first time. The teacher read the poem aloud for the first time with a very soothing yet strong voice.
If you think you can do it, you can.
If you think you do not, you don’t.
If you’d like to win but think you can’t,
It’s almost a cinch you won’t.
If you think you’ll lose – you’re lost.
For out in this world we find,
Success begins with a fellow’s will
It’s all in a state of mind.
Life’s battles don’t always go to the strongest or fastest man.
But sooner or later the man who wins is the one who thinks he can.
-Walter D. Wintle
Although I didn’t fully understand the message, after the first reading it somehow spoke to a certain part of my heart – the part that was craving encouragement. The teacher told us that we should feel free to decorate it in any which way we like. I remember it as if it were yesterday. I took the paper in my small hands and pasted it onto a pink sheet of construction paper. I then decorated it with different designs and for some reason I began feeling connected to the poem. Night after night I would read the poem to myself before going to bed. I saw that little window of alone time as an escape; it was my time with the poem, it was my time to reflect. It gave me strength and as time went by my confidence began to grow. When I was faced with something that seemed to be a challenge I no longer ran away in fear. Rather, I became determined to figure it out. There was nothing I couldn’t do. I was most certainly still weak in certain areas but I had a tool in my hand to help me get up when I felt like giving in.
The words of that poem have been a guiding light for me, words that have pushed me forward when I was ready to give up on myself. Through a fire that destroyed my house in 10th grade, my father losing his job, moving from house to house for 5 years, being separated from my family, falling into a deep depression. One struggle after the other hit and it was difficult to keep positive. However, it was my experiences and my desire and determination to give back that led me to teaching. I wanted to be the teacher that saw in my students what they were still unable to see in themselves. I understood the value of empowering someone to believe in their dreams, believe in their talent and that was the kind of person I wanted to be for others. My seven years teaching were the most transformative years of my life. Giving a child a glimpse into the storehouse of wealth and knowledge they have within is the greatest gift anyone can receive. The themes and ideas of kindness, values, and self-worth were incorporated into every single classroom discussion. Children transformed before my eyes, not just academically but socially as well. This is my wish for all children to experience through the Life Vest Inside and the Life Vest Inside Kindness Curriculum.
My dream for a kinder world isn’t based on fantasy, but rather rooted in reality. These are concepts I’ve used, I’ve tested, I’ve experienced. I have seen firsthand how they have worked and changed the lives of so many. When I made the decision to take a leave of absence from teaching and dedicate myself to Life Vest Inside it was my students who gave me the faith in myself to take the final leap. They told me that it was time for me to share with the world the lessons that I had shared with them; that I’d taught them.
Leaving your comfort zone is never an easy thing to do. After all there is no guarantee of success, but as the poem goes, “Success begins with a fellow’s will, it’s all in a state of mind…the man (or woman!) who wins is the one who thinks he (or she) can.”
NEVER ever give up! Believe in yourself and in your potential and you will go farther than you ever dreamed of. Don’t stop dreaming and don’t allow others to discourage from pursuing your dreams. Remember that it’s ok to fail; failure is the true key to success. Yes, if you never try, you’ll never fail. But, if you never try, you’ll never succeed either. It’s worth the risk and as long as you get back up and try again, you’ll never be a failure.
Whatever career you decide to embark on, be sure to love it! If you love what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life. Getting to where you want to be may take time, but if you persevere you WILL get there! Trust me, anyone that has made it has contemplated giving up thousands of times, but perseverance is what got them to the end.
Last thing, when you choose a path in your life it’s not about asking how you’re going to get there, but answering the question of why you want to get there! Unwavering passion and dedication for what you decide to do, will take you very far! It’s not something that can be taught, but only felt!
Life Vest Inside’s mission is to inspire, educate and empower people of all backgrounds to lead a life of kindness. We achieve this through inspirational media, technology, education and on the ground events. But more than kindness, empowerment is at the center of it all. The key is to empower people to recognize their value, that they do in fact matter and while they may be one in seven billion, the number that matters the most is that they are one. When you take a look at all of the vast social issues plaguing society today and you continuously ask the question of “WHY?” – what you find is that it all stems from a lack of self value, self worth and the feeling of lacking purpose. While there are many organizations and programs aiming to combat these issues, they approach them from the “anti” mindset. Bullying – anti-bullying. Drugs – anti drugs. Depression – anti depression. War – anti war. In a sense, they are utilizing negativity to fight against negativity, which will only lead to more negativity. The mission of Life Vest Inside is to prevent these issues from coming into existence by understanding the true root of the problem as opposed to placing a band-aid on the problem. Only when you understand the underlying root cause, can you truly create a long lasting change.
In today’s world of digital media, many people get sucked into measuring the purpose and value of their lives by comparing it to what they presume to be the norm on social media. I’m a big believer in the good of social media, however anything can be used for both good and bad. The issue begins when people become addicted to viewing their value through the lens of another or based on the number of likes and comments they receive after posting a picture. True value, true validation can only come from within a person. It is precisely because of this that when a person is engaged in an act of kindness and in an act of giving they feel so good. Because in that moment they are validated for the right reasons as opposed to what society tells them should validate them. In that moment of giving they catch a glimpse of their potential, their ability to bring goodness into the world. It is that feeling that provides a person with a sense of PURPOSE. And once someone is filled with purpose they now have the capability to give back to the world in a greater way. If we think about it, true empowerment and self-value increases the number of givers in this world. The more people recognize that they have something to give, the more likely we will be able, as a people, to tackle the greatest problems that this generation faces and actually resolve them.
Ever since childhood I’ve had a deep passion to unite people in a way like never before; to truly change the world. To help people see beyond the labels and connect with the heart of one another; recognizing that we are in fact a piece of the same puzzle. Like pieces of a puzzle we all may be different shapes and different colors, but each and every piece is the same size; no one being more or less important than the other. It is my belief that we are all unique, significant and special in our own way; each of us with something to contribute to this wonderful world that only we can give.
A bit about myself. I was a middle school teacher for 7 amazing years; years in which I learned as much as I taught. Kindness, compassion, empathy, character, values. These were the fundamental teachings that ensued both in and out of the classroom. As a teenager, I had gone through a severe depression in my tenth grade year after a fire broke out in my house. It was one of those years where everything that could go wrong went wrong. And while I was always super positive, believing wholeheartedly that everything happens for a reason, seeing my family, above all my parents, struggle hurt me to my core. Not wanting to be an additional burden and not knowing where to turn, I simply bottled up my feelings until they began eating away at me from the inside out. I was home from school for a couple of months and I remember crying for most of that time. What hurt the most is that during those two months not one person came to visit, not one person called to check in on me. The fire took away the materialistic possessions, but not hearing from people made me feel as though I was irrelevant, that if I weren’t here tomorrow no one would be the wiser. I was extremely shy as a teenager with super low confidence, but I always loved people and made it a point to go out of my way for people. Feeling like I was left behind made me feel as though I didn’t make an impact, as though I was insignificant and those feelings eat away at you in a way like no other.
After being forced to go back to school, I was not the studious, happy go lucky kid that had left a couple months back. Sitting in the corner, all in black, writing morbid poetry was now my place within it all. I was angry, hurt, confused and feelings of hopelessness consumed me. It was one morning while I was washing up that something shifted. As I was looking at myself deeply in the mirror, I no longer saw myself. That 4-year-old kid who believed she had the power to change the world was gone; it was as though someone had taken her from me. That feeling scared me most of all. It was that day, as a 15 year old kid, that I made a promise to myself. A promise that would remain in my heart until this very day. A promise that led me to teaching, that led me to start my organization, a promise that guides me each and every day. I promised myself to be there for others the way I had wished someone would have been there for me. To see others the way I wished someone would have seen me. Those next few years of high school were tough, to say the least. While I walked alone, it afforded me the chance to do something that most teenagers don’t get a chance to do, to do something most adults don’t get a chance to do. It afforded me the opportunity to fall in love with me for me. It was no longer about fitting into a certain click or acting in a certain way to impress someone. I was who I was for me and no one else and I found myself in that loneliness, I found my voice within that silence.
Then in my senior year of high school it had all come to a head and I was finally ready to step into the person I knew I was always meant to become. I’ll never forget it. I was on senior seminar, sitting in a session with my fellow peers and the teacher was discussing obstacles and overcoming adversity. For the very first time I did something I never did before. I raised my hand. I had something to contribute to the conversation. I opened my mouth and words poured forward from my heart. My peers, people I used to be intimidated by, were listening to me and, what’s more, coming to me afterwards asking for advice. What I found was that the more I gave, the more I healed and the more I gave the more I healed. I became obsessed and in love with the concept of giving and understanding its very nature and how it transforms a person by providing the most coveted possession of all – PURPOSE.
I stepped into my own during my senior year, literally becoming involved in every after school activity and charity work as I could possibly handle. Soon enough I began mentoring at risk kids, speaking in front of crowds and leading seminars myself.
It was that same energy and motivation that led me to teaching. Understanding the importance of a child feeling and internalizing their self worth, their inherent value regardless of how pretty they are, how smart they are, how athletic they are, are or how wealthy they are. I wanted to be a mirror for those children, helping them see the true beauty that lies within them, a beauty that no one could take away. For me, teaching wasn’t simply about handing over facts and figures but educating the soul of a child. It was about breaking down the barriers of class distinction and showing the kids that whether you were the “popular” kid in the grade or whether you were the “loner” – everyone has insecurities; some just show theirs differently. It was once they were able to see each other in the same light that true connection began to form and that is exactly where growth and strength of character comes from.
For me, kindness is the vision to see the beauty within others. It’s the courage to look deeper than the surface, to recognize that each and every person has something special and unique to contribute to this wonderful world. By discovering the inherent beauty that exists within ourselves, we can more readily see that beauty in those around us, helping them to undoubtedly discover it within themselves.
Kindness is something I believe can be found in everyone, in everything, at every moment and in every circumstance. The question becomes are we willing to see it, to uncover it, to become aware of its presence. Our eye is a muscle. Just like any other muscle in our body it must be worked out, used often and cultivated to begin to see the good. The more we do so, the more kindness is reflected back at us. What we must ask ourselves each morning when we wake up and take a deep breathe is how we will choose to see the world around us. Through the lens of goodness and kindness or do we prefer to remain blind to the signs of goodness that pop up as we head out on our day.
The real questions is what don’t I enjoy doing! I am super passionate about everything I do. Whether it be writing, creating films, playing piano or drums, listening to music, playing sports, spending time with family, watching a movie, engaging people in conversation, speaking in schools or just getting out there and connecting with people!
I never felt like work was a job for me. Directly after college I was a middle school teacher for 7 amazing years – the most transformative of my life! From there, the next piece of the puzzle of my life was Life Vest Inside. Starting this organization from the ground up was scary, exciting but above all it was a dream come true. It’s been my dream since childhood to bring people together in a way like never before. The organization started with a short film I created for the organization, Kindness Boomerang, that went viral, but it didn’t stop there! I’ve had the opportunity to draw on all of the things I enjoy doing to infuse more meaning and creativity into the work I’m doing with the organization.
Honestly, I see and draw kindness from each and every person I have the privilege to come into contact with. I always say that my job is falling in love with people more and more each day. I have the opportunity through my work with my non profit, Life Vest Inside, to connect with people from across the globe every day. People of various backgrounds, cultures, religions, races – but there exists one commonality – kindness. The good I have the privilege to witness each day is awe inspiring; it fuels me forward in spite of the hardships and obstacles that undoubtedly come my way.
However, the absolute greatest source of kindness for me comes from above – comes from God. By observing I’ve come to learn how to love, how to give and how infuse kindness and goodness to no end. Why? Because it’s unconditional and pure. I’ve learned to give through experiencing how much God has been given to me.
WOW! I can’t tell you the countless times a day I read and hear something that brings a smile to my face. An email, a text message, a handwritten letter from friends of the organization sharing how the org has changed their life, shifted their perspective, opened the gates to a new future. It’s impossible not to smile! Here’s just a small taste. Over the past month I’ve been traveling and speaking in various cities about the power of kindness as part of my book tour. I came home and received this email:
“Orly, I attended your event last night and wanted to pass along this story. When I left the Hotel, I got in my truck, started the engine, and realized I startled a homeless man who was apparently resting in front of me. As the motor warmed I watched him gather his belongings. I pondered giving him money and decided to roll down the window. I told him I was sorry I was taking his spot away and he said, no problem at all, thanks, and have a great night man! It was then I realized that he was SEEN. Prepared to give something monetary, he seemed more pleased somebody noticed him. How uncanny after hearing your presentation, any other night I would have simply driven away. The hour I spent listening to you last night will forever change the way I look at people. Thank you for the inspiration, you are a true modern day prophet of kindness, and the world needs you now more than ever.” ~Marc
How can you do anything but smile after reading messages like these!
It begins from the moment you wake up in the morning. Try and incorporate an attitude of gratitude into your morning ritual. Regardless of how many things are going wrong in our lives there is always something going right. If you can’t find one – check your pulse! Every morning when you wake up and have air in your lungs that’s a sign that there is something YOU are meant to do today that no one else can. The moment we focus on the things we should be grateful for, the more reasons to be grateful will be sent our way. Keep your eyes peeled, kindness is right in front of your nose so be sure to look up every so often and live in the moments that make life worth living.
Playing piano with my dad as a young girl. I started playing the piano by ear ever since I can remember. Music was sort of my escape or comfort zone. Whenever I felt lost, angry or hurt I would sit at the piano and suddenly everything made sense, everything was ok. My dad is extremely musical and he also played piano by ear. I guess you can say it was our secret language.
I’ll never forget this one specific day. I got into a fight with a friend and came home very angry. I ran into my room, shut the door and began crying. My dad knocked on my door and tried to reason with me to answer and talk it through, but I was stubborn and didn’t want to hear anything. I heard him go back down the stairs and thought to myself, “He must have given up on me.” But then I heard it, the sound of my dad playing the piano. It was as though he knew exactly what to play, exactly what sound would connect with what I was feeling. He also knew that it would draw me downstairs and he was right. I slowly inched out of my room, down the staircase and crept into the room. Before I knew it I was sitting by his side and playing with him. Without me noticing he would slowly give over the reigns to me as he crept out of the room allowing me to express myself with the sound from the piano.
When I was a sophomore in high school, there was a fire in my house and the piano and all my memories were erased in that one tragic night. My family and I had been moving around for almost 6 years until we finally moved back into our house. It was an extremely emotional experience moving back in after what were 6 very difficult years for my family. One day I came home walked into my house and there in the corner of the living room was my very own piano, sitting there waiting for me. My dad knows how much it means to me. We say nothing to each other. Without a word my dad pulls up two chairs and once again we are sitting side by side in our very own little world, speaking to one another in our secret language. I’ll never forget that day.
Great question! I wanted to create something that would show people the way I experience kindness and the fluid motion of how it can pass so easily from person to person. I began thinking of what I could do to illustrate that and I realized why not film it! After all I always loved film and boy did I miss it! I had a couple of months to make it happen because I knew that once September came along I would be going back to school. I reached out to one of my friends, Luis Armada from college who had was my Director of Photography in the past. We reconnected and I told him my idea. He was excited to work on the project and we began putting things into place. I sat down and began recording kindness experiences I had personally been through, moments in my life that left an imprint on my life. Suddenly the script came to life. I had in front of me tens of stories. I put each story on a post it note and stuck it to the wall in my house and began piecing it together and creating a storyline from the various stories. It was amazing how beautifully it all came together. The first week of August I put out a casting call on Craigs List and on Backstage. I went to chaperone a camp trip to LA and by the time I came back a week after, I had tons and tons of headshots. From auditions to shoot was exactly two weeks!
Craziest two weeks ever. I lived and breathed film! It had been 7 years since I was involved in film production and I was extremely nervous, after all I was investing a tremendous amount of money into the shoot. My family and everyone who knew me thought I was crazy! “What do you think your film is going to really do?” they would tell me. Discouraging words followed me throughout the process, but I blocked it out. I had a mission and I was going to get there regardless of the pressure I was getting to call it quits. We had 2 rehearsals and then finally came the day of the shoot. Bottom line, I knew that we were starting something wonderful that day and so did all of the actors involved. Each one of the actors was so perfectly suited for the part and I can’t tell you how close we all got over such a short period of time.
I shot the film on September 1st 2010 and remember I was going back to teaching only a few days after the shoot. I was a full time teacher and I knew I wouldn’t be able to do much throughout the year, but I figured I would use that year as a time to prepare the legal documents for the organization to establish it as a 501c3 non profit organization.
After I saw what we had shot that day I knew that I was holding something powerful in my hands and I began questioning where did I want to go from here. Did I believe in it enough to go all in? I loved teaching and I don’t think anyone ever thought I would consider leaving my job as a teacher. Would I take a leave of absence, would I try to work on the organization while I was teaching, what would I do? I had no clue! But I knew that if I believed enough in it, I had to give it my all. That January I finally made the decision to tell the school that I would be taking a leave of absence. I would dedicate my time and money over the course of the upcoming year putting everything into it and I would see where it would take me.
I knew nothing about the non profit world, regarding management but when you put your mind to something you’ll figure it out. I had to let go of the fear and take a leap of faith.
It was now October 2011 and I still hadn’t put the video online. I knew nothing about social media or how people would even see the video. My website and the foundations of the organization were still being developed and I was confronting so many obstacles.
Finally I decided that I would post the video on YouTube and figured that maybe the film would inspire someone, perhaps someone would stumble on it, but I could no longer hold on to it because of my perfectionist nature to only release something when it’s perfect. I learned there is no such thing as perfect. You do what you can and learn from mistakes.
Who would have thought that millions of people would stumble on it and be inspired in ways I can’t begin to explain. I remember watching the numbers climb and recently found a journal entry I wrote when the video was approaching the 100,000 mark. I couldn’t believe it had reached so many people and the truth of the matter is I didn’t even realize how difficult something like that truly was. Within a month from then, it hit the millions and the Kindness Boomerang spread far and wide. I remember staying up all night responding to every single comment written on YouTube. I loved reading the comments, the good the bad and the inbetween. How it happened, I will never know! When I heard that Kindness Boomerang was named the number 1 feel good YouTube film of the holiday season, that was when I was just in utter shock. Looking back, I still can’t believe it!
The fact that it spread so naturally is a great sign for the future of the world. It’s a sign that the world is ready for change and kindness is the catalyst to bringing that sort of change. The thing I loved the most, was having people from all different backgrounds and religions connecting on a common ground.
Kindness Boomerang by far!!! It has reached more people than I can begin to imagine and what it has done is open a discussion about the possibility of building a kinder more unified world. The amounts of comments that pour in on a daily basis through youtube, facebook, twitter, emails, etc – it’s amazing! People have taken down their walls, opened up and shared their stories, their lives, their hopes and dreams with me. By far the favorite part of my day is answering comments and connecting with people. Kindness Boomerang launched the organization and brought it to the forefront. While that was an extremely positive thing, it was also difficult because I was the sole person behind the organization and it was so difficult to manage so much being thrown at me all at once. I didn’t have the foundations to handle so much, but one thing’s for certain I learned so much over these past two years and have grown tremendously!
There are tons of things that I do! There is one specific routine that I have in the morning. It’s a time when I pray, reconnect and focus on gratitude. Take time out to say thank you and appreciate what you do have is a very important part of the day. To be honest, when things get so busy you can lose yourself in all of it and forget to take time out to do that.
Some of the other things that I do is interact on a daily basis with the Life Vest Inside community and connect with individual people who share their stories, their hopes and dreams. Giving back and responding to them brings me the greatest sense of joy.
1000% First off it is so important to take time within your day, step back and recognize the things you should be grateful for. Although things may go wrong within our day to day lives, there is so much blessing in our lives, so much to be thankful for. By focusing on the good that we have in our lives, we actually draw more good into our lives. The more grateful we are, the more the world will send us things to be grateful for. It’s easy to see the negative, but we need to train ourselves to see the beauty within the world, the beauty within our lives and the the beauty within others. By doing so, we will begin to see that there is much beauty waiting to be discovered.
Can there be kindness without love? Kindness and Love are one in the same – so NO! The most important thing that people forget is that they need first to love themselves, really and truly love themselves. the biggest problem we have as a society is that we don’t recognize our value. And so if we don’t recognize our value, how do we expect to recognize the value in others. People value themselves based on what society sometimes makes us perceive is the root of our value. But our real value isn’t based on the amount of money we have, the amount of followers we have, or how outwardly beautiful we may be, but rather by the amount of people whose lives we’ve touched, whose life stories we’ve changed. THAT is the essence of our true value. Kindness is the greatest tool out there to help a person recognize their potential and worth. Because when a person engages in an act of kindness, they are filled with such a sense of happiness. At that moment they catch a glimpse of how powerful they truly are. They can say, “Wow, I made that person smile! I effected that person’s life in a positive way!” It empowers people to see that you they are is GREAT! They need not try and be someone else, but rather be proud of what they to offer. Every person is important, every person is unique and significant in their own way. Love yourself, so that you can love others and the way to love yourself is simply through engaging in acts of kindness!
First and foremost – YOU MATTER! Remember that and repeat it to yourself regardless of what others may tell you and regardless of how you may feel about yourself from time to time. One of the most important tools you’ll need to succeed and most importantly to be happy in life, is to recognize your value and your worth. If you stop and look at all of the social issues plaguing society today; bullying, peer pressure, depression, substance abuse, suicide, violence – at the core and heart of the matter lies a lack of self-worth. People have forgotten to value themselves for what’s true and have instead sought for validation from things that will never give them true validation. You’re worth isn’t dependent upon how much money you make, how many friends or followers you have, or the kind of car you drive. But, rather by the people whose lives you’ve touched; you’re small, simple acts of kindness are the things that truly matter. Your impact on the life of another is something that can never be taken from you. So open your eyes and seek opportunities to give a lending hand, to throw someone a life vest, a life line of kindness because we all know just how important kindness is in our lives.
Being involved in performing acts of kindness is one of the greatest tools for helping a person recognize their self-worth. Think about it! When you perform an act of kindness, how uplifted and amazing do you feel?! The reason for that is because you begin to catch a glimpse of your true value, of what you have the potential to bring to the life of another. When you value yourself, you will naturally recognize the value in others and realize that each person is significant, another piece of the puzzle. Taking it a step further, the more you value yourself, the better equipped you are to make proper healthier and smarter decisions in your life. So practice kindness on a daily basis. Actually, don’t just practice kindness, live it, see the world through kind eyes and you will happy every day of your life! Is it easy? No! Is it worth it? 100%.
Secondly, NEVER ever give up! Believe in yourself and in your potential and you will go farther than you ever dreamed of. Don’t stop dreaming and don’t allow others to discourage from pursuing your dreams. Remember that it’s ok to fail; failure is the true key to success. Yes, if you never try, you’ll never fail. But, if you never try, you’ll never succeed either. It’s worth the risk and as long as you get back up and try again, you’ll never be a failure.
Whatever career you decide to embark on, be sure to love it! If you love what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life. Getting to where you want to be may take time, but if you persevere you WILL get there! Trust me, anyone that has made it has contemplated giving up thousands of times, but perseverance is what got them to the end.
Last thing, when you choose a path in your life it’s not about asking how you’re going to get there, but answering the question of why you want to get there! Unwavering passion and dedication for what you decide to do, will take you very far! It’s not something that can be taught, but only felt!
I’ll end with my favorite poem that guided me through a great deal of my life:
If you think you can do it, you can.
If you think you do not, you don’t.
If you’d like to win but think you can’t,
It’s almost a cinch you won’t.
If you think you’ll lose – you’re lost.
For out in this world we find,
Success begins with a fellow’s will
It’s all in a state of mind.
Life’s battles don’t always go to the strongest or fastest man.
But sooner or later the man who wins is the one who thinks he can.