Life Vest Inside

The Daily Kindness Digest #1110

Kindness Quote

“Begin today. Declare out loud to the universe that you are willing to let go of struggle and eager to learn through joy.”

Sarah Ban Breathnach

Act of Kindness

Smile at yourself in the mirror today. Remember that love is what makes the world go around and it all starts with loving yourself. Don’t be shy – look at that beautiful face!

Positive Affirmation

Today I begin. Good things come to those who work hard and never give up. To become the best version of myself, I have to start somewhere and today is that day!

Kindness Media

A library designed to start conversations, challenge stereotypes, and eliminate prejudices through dialogue.

by LifeVestInside

The Kindness Flash #44

This month’s theme: HARMONY – Living together peacefully rather than fighting or arguing.

Articles of the Month

And the world came together… – During these times, when COVID-19 threatens our lives and our livelihood, we are filled with uncertainty, anticipation and fear. But these times are also made up of something else. It is laced with connection, compassion, and altruism.

New App, Daily Haloha, Restores our Sense of Humanity – Anonymous, judgment-free, popularity-free, pressure-free and guided by a single conversational spark each day, Daily Haloha brings us together as people.

Living together in Harmony – If we are to live together in harmony we need to expand our consciousness and allow space for all living beings, we need to understand the life that is in all things and perceive the infinity of the universe.

Spotlight on Kindness

It is my pleasure to introduce the Spotlight on Kindness portion of our newsletter, highlighting the inspiring and empowering work of another to bring kindness, joy, love and hope into the world.

This month’s Spotlight on Kindness is Amy Giddon. Amy understands that to create harmony we must all hear one another and respect the song we all infuse into this world. Through her incredibly inspiring app, The Daily Haloha, she is ensuring that HARMONY is alive and well in the world!

And we are happy to share with you how she started this amazing project:

“My Daily Haloha story began in the fall of 2016 after the US presidential election. Read More >>

Challenge of the Month

To honor Amy’s great work, I would like to invite each of you to join in and contribute to the Daily Aloha on JUNE 25th. On that day Life Vest Inside is partnering with the Daily Aloha to bring you a Life Vest Inside Kindness Question. All we ask is that you share your thoughts. The app gives users an outlet for expression free of social validation while creating a sense of belonging. To download the app, click HERE. We hope to see your responses on JUNE 25th.

“Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.”

Mahatma Gandhi

“Harmony makes small things grow, lack of it makes great things decay.”

Sallust

“The trials on the road to world harmony are no greater than the courage of those who accept the challenge.”

Carl Lewis

Act of Kindness

Practice a mindset of harmony. To live a harmonious life doesn’t necessarily mean that you agree with everyone, but rather that you are willing and open to listen and engage in dialogue. Make an effort to be more understanding of another person’s point of view. It’s not always easy to really listen to a perspective that we may not agree with but it is often the best way to create a positive world infused with harmony. Remember, we are all different, each with our own perception. Honor each person’s viewpoint without want or need to convince them of your own.

Question of the Month

How do you create a sense of harmony in your life? Share here or in the comments below.

Kindness Media

Photo of the Month

How does this picture represent HARMONY? Share your thoughts!

Song of the Month

A song telling us that there’s a shining light in every one of us, so let’s unite together because we are ONE.

Videos of the Month

While we may be physically separated, let us remember that We are All in This Together. With SPIRITS HIGH, LOVE for one another STRONG, and HOPE unwavering we WILL overcome…TOGETHER

Despite our differences, music truly has the power to unite people in harmony.

Books of the Month

The Seven Secrets to Living in Harmony – Gregory Reece-Smith – This book takes readers on an inspiring journey of opportunity to dispel the layers of beliefs hiding our true and deepest self. Allowing us to discover grace, peace, and unconditional love that is within every single one of us on this planet.

Imperfect Harmony: Finding Happiness Singing with Others – Stacy Horn – Imperfect Harmony is the story of one woman who has found joy and strength in the weekly ritual of singing and in the irresistible power of song.

Hearts in Harmony – Beth Wiseman – A story about young adults uniting despite their differences through a shared love of music.

O’Mighty Harmony – Arthur Bimont – A beautiful tribute to life and nature. Arthur has always been very eager to share his dream of peace and happiness in the world. He worries about the state of our planet and continues to think through ways to make a difference.

The Harmony Tree – Randy S. Woodley – In The Harmony Tree, an old grandmother oak tree is spared when loggers come through and clear-cut a forest. Grandmother Oak finds herself alone until new houses start showing up on the land, along with new trees. As Grandmother Oak shares her stories and how she came to have such deep roots, she finds hope and healing.

This Love: A Celebration of Harmony Around with World – Isabel Otter – Love is a language that is understood and shared by people all around the world. Whether we’re reading quietly with a loved one or playing on the beach with friends, all across the globe, the love we feel for one another is the same.

Subscribe to the Kindness FlashArchives

by LifeVestInside

Spotlight on Kindness - Amy Giddon

It is my pleasure to introduce the Spotlight on Kindness portion of our newsletter, highlighting the inspiring and empowering work of another to bring kindness, joy, love and hope into the world.

And we are happy to share with you how she started this amazing project:

“My Daily Haloha story began in the fall of 2016 after the US presidential election. Like many, I was dismayed by the level of division and polarization that had arisen during the election process. I was brokenhearted by the “othering” that had crept into our public and private discourse, and even to the discussions around our family dinner tables. We had stopped listening to each other. While feeling the heaviness of our division, I had an uplifting and transformational experience in a New York City subway station.

At this time, I was commuting to NYC’s Union Square for a consulting assignment and one day as I was rushing for the subway I caught a glimpse of a colorful sticky note display that was beginning to blossom across the walls. I stopped for a closer look. I saw notes of hope, affirmation, and encouragement. I was captivated as I saw the New Yorkers rushing by also get drawn in by the colorful notes, and feel compelled to participate.

I watched as the commuters would pause in thoughtful reflection as they considered their own unique contribution. Once they wrote out their note, they would add it to the wall and snap a photo as their note became embraced by the whole. It was a moment of togetherness and harmony— not because the notes were singular in their sentiments— but because placing a note on the wall said I’m here too, in this moment, feeling something too.

This project, started by artist Matthew Chavez, was known as Subway Therapy and culminated in 50,000 bits of benevolence. It was so simple but felt like magic. How did this simple experience create a feeling of kinship and harmony among thousands of anonymous strangers?

I started searching for other examples of public projects on city streets that invite passersby to express themselves anonymously and then display the collective responses, creating a mosaic of shared humanity. I found plenty! Whether through writing on a chalkboard, putting up a sticky note, or sharing a secret on a postcard, these projects allowed the participants to share a bit of themselves and become a part of the bigger human story.

I began to understand the source of the magic. In all of these projects, anonymous strangers come together and express themselves free of judgment. Every thought matters and everyone belongs. In the display of the collective contributions, we see our uniqueness and our sameness, harmoniously woven together. They remind us of how good it feels to connect, as humans.

I realized how different these collaborative experiences were from social media, which runs on judgment and popularity contests. Despite its promise of connection, it can also fuel divisiveness with echo chambers and outrage, and fuel loneliness with social comparison and digital addiction.

Could there be a digital experience that feels more like gathering together at a sticky note wall and less like an endless feed? Could we bottle up the magic of city streets and serve it to people any time and everywhere, connecting us all on one big sidewalk? Those are our goals with Daily Haloha.

Daily Haloha presents the entire world with a new thought-provoking fill-in-the-blank question each day. The questions are an invitation to reminisce and imagine, create and contribute. Just like the projects on city streets, participants offer their personal reflection, which then joins the reflections of others in a colorful wall of thoughts and feelings from around the world. Because it’s all anonymous, and we leave out the judgment and popularity contests, participants can express themselves freely. Our Haloha Wall sparks curiosity and compassion, inspiration and perspective. Maybe even magic.

Thank you to all frontliners!

by LifeVestInside