The Daily Kindness Digest #1285
Kindness Quote
“If you tell the truth, you don’t have to remember anything.”
Mark Twain
Act of Kindness
Be honest.
Positive Affirmation
Today I will be honest with myself as well as with others. If I disagree with something, I will voice my opinion in the most mature and respectable way possible. Honesty is always the best policy.
Kindness Media
The Daily Kindness Digest #1284
Kindness Quote
“Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are.”
John Wooden
Act of Kindness
Character speaks volumes about a person. Be especially mindful of your ethics, even in what may be constituted as small and insignificant matters.
Positive Affirmation
Today I recognize that I am a special INDIVIDUAL! I have characteristics that make me different from everyone else and that’s what makes me GREAT!
Kindness Media
The Daily Kindness Digest #1283
Kindness Quote
“All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them.”
Walt Disney
Act of Kindness
Open your heart and mind to the world. Take a risk and try something new. Scary? Yes. Worth it? Definitely.
Positive Affirmation
Today I will let go of my worries and remember to make the best of every moment! Take risks! Smile! Life is great!
Kindness Media
The Daily Kindness Digest #1282
Kindness Quote
“You get the best out of others when you give the best of yourself.”
Harvey S. Firestone
Act of Kindness
Kick-start someone’s day. Send them a good-morning text when you wake up.
Positive Affirmation
Today I’m going to put my best effort into everything I do.
Kindness Media
The Daily Kindness Digest #1281
Kindness Quote
“Remember that you are all people and all people are you.”
Joy Harjo
Act of Kindness
Send a heartfelt, genuine note to your boss or mentor sharing some of the benefits you’ve gained from the job; not just professionally but personally as well.
Positive Affirmation
Today I appreciate the people in my life. They’ve all made me the person I am today. They form the universe of stars that make up my life.
Kindness Media
The Daily Kindness Digest #1280
Kindness Quote
“If you can’t feed a hundred people, then feed just one.”
Mother Teresa
Act of Kindness
Buy a dozen sandwiches and pass them out to homeless folks in a busy area. Your act may very well start a domino effect of kindness.
Positive Affirmation
Today I LOVE. I will share this love with all those around me!
Kindness Media
The Daily Kindness Digest #1279
Kindness Quote
“Getting an idea should be like sitting down on a pin; it should make you jump up and do something.”
E. L. Simpson
Act of Kindness
Come up with an exciting way to bring awareness to the power of kindness in your school. Make a poster, start a club, or leave random kindness stickers on people’s lockers.
Positive Affirmation
Today I am innovative! There are so many ways to bring joy and change to the world! My ideas are valuable and it would be selfish to keep them to myself!
Kindness Media
The Daily Kindness Digest #1278
Kindness Quote
“Wisdom begins in wonder.”
Socrates
Act of Kindness
Plant a tree! Whether you physically plant the seed or make a donation, you can rest assured knowing that you have added more beauty and life to the world.
Positive Affirmation
Today I will be more mindful of others and how I interact with them. I will try to bring as much positivity into the world as I can.
Kindness Media
The Daily Kindness Digest #1277
Kindness Quote
“Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass. It’s about learning how to dance in the rain.”
Vivian Greene
Act of Kindness
Go out of your way to attend a wedding you might not have attended.
Positive Affirmation
Today I am fearless! Instead of running away from my challenges, I will find the inner courage to face my obstacles head-on!
Kindness Media
The Daily Kindness Digest #1276
Kindness Quote
“The meeting of two personalities is like the contact of two chemical substances: If there is any reaction, both are transformed.”
Carl Jung
Act of Kindness
Play cupid today and introduce two friends who may hit it off. Be mindful that you aren’t setting them up for the wrong reasons.
Positive Affirmation
Today I am open so love may flow through me. I will step out of my comfort zone to welcome new friends into my life instead of ignoring people.
Kindness Media
The Daily Kindness Digest #1275
Kindness Quote
“Family is not an important thing, it’s everything.”
Michael J. Fox
Act of Kindness
Who’s up for a pillow fight? Spend some quality time with your sibling( s) or childhood friends. They will help you reconnect to a part of yourself you may have lost sight of over time.
Positive Affirmation
Today I will remember that I am surrounded by family, friends, and good people. When I am surrounded by love and good people, good things happen.
Kindness Media
The Kindness Flash #51
This month’s theme: HEROISM
Thoughts from our Founder
Reflections by Orly Wahba – Working on this month’s Flash, I stumbled on a song I never heard of before, She’s Somebody’s Hero by Jamie O’Neal.
This country song reminds us that a hero can come in all kinds of packages. A hero, contrary to how we’ve been taught, doesn’t necessarily wear a cape or have their photo on the front page of a newspaper. A hero isn’t measured by their social media following, the wealth they acquire, or how beautiful they are. Oftentimes, heroes are the ones who go unnoticed. Read More >>
Who’s Your Life Vest? – In honor of our month of heroism, I’m excited to share with you a new video collaboration we released asking people to share with us who has been a “life vest” in their life. We’ve all experienced moments when we feel like life is whirling out of control. It can feel as though we are caught in a rip tide with no sign of help coming our way. Then suddenly someone throws us a life vest, a life line of kindness. It can come in the form of a smile, a kind word, a helping hand, or just being there to listen. It’s time to pay tribute to the seemingly small acts of kindness that in fact have an extraordinary impact.
This life vest of kindness can come from a friend, family member, teacher, mentor and on many occasions a perfect stranger at the right place, at the right time with exactly what you need to stay afloat. And so I asked people from around the world who has been a “life vest” in their life – their life line of kindness in a sea full of troubles, their bit of hope when it seems that hope is lost. Here’s what they had to say…
I invite each of you to share this video with someone in your life who has been a life vest to you, who has been your hero! Let’s acknowledge those who go above and beyond.
Coming Up This Month
Don’t miss our Monthly Dance Party! Sign up, learn the dance and JOIN US.
First Monthly Dance Party Happening On: FEBRUARY 9th 11am (New York)
Articles of the Month
Bravery is Kindness in Action – Incredible acts of bravery and kindness in very unlikely places gives humanity hope and inspiration. BeKind not only provide recommendations for daily acts of kindness but anecdotes of courage and compassion to motivate people to show kindness despite any risk.
Lessons From the ‘Kindness Boomerang’ Effect – If kindness is done right, if we’re able to empower people to recognize their value, then they are going to become more productive. There is going to be more innovation in the world, greater connection.
What Makes a Hero? – Acts of heroism don’t just arrive from truly exceptional people but from people placed in the right circumstance, given the necessary tools to transform compassion into heroic action.
“A hero is an ordinary individual who finds the strength to persevere and endure in spite of overwhelming obstacles.”
Christopher Reeve
“The characteristic of genuine heroism is its persistency. All men have wandering impulses, fits and starts of generosity. But when you have resolved to be great, abide by yourself, and do not weakly try to reconcile yourself with the world. The heroic cannot be the common, nor the common the heroic.”
Ralph Waldo Emerson
Act of Kindness
In the words of Arthur Ashe, “True heroism is remarkably sober, very undramatic. It is not the urge to surpass all others at whatever cost, but the urge to serve others at whatever cost.” Take the time to think about someone in your life who has been a hero to you in their quiet and undetecting way. Send them a heartfelt letter of gratitude or token of appreciation to let them know that to you they are, in fact, a superhero.
Question of the Month
If you can have one superpower what would it be and why? Share here or in the comments below.
Kindness Media
Songs of the Month
A Superhero isn’t someone who hasn’t known struggle, but rather one who continues to stand up time after time. When you feel ready to throw in the towel, dig deep within yourself and unleash the superhero inside of you. “When you’ve been fighting for it all your life, You’ve been struggling to make things right. That’s how a superhero learns to fly. Every day, every hour, turn that pain into power.”
This is an inspiring song that motivates us to consider the heroic potential that exists within each of us “with love and a little light.” Anyone has the power if they understand the greatness that lies within them.
Videos of the Month
What trials unite not only Harry Potter or Frodo Baggins but many of literature’s most interesting heroes? And what do ordinary people have in common with these literary heroes? Matthew Winkler takes us step-by-step through the crucial events that make or break a hero.
Jaz is passionate about the difference teachers make. Through celebration and provocation she uses the transformative power of her own story to inspire the ordinary heroes of education – Teachers.
Books of the Month
What Makes a Hero? – Elizabeth Svoboda – Using dozens of fascinating real-life examples, Elizabeth Svoboda explains how our genes compel us to do good for others, how going through suffering is linked to altruism, and how acting heroic can greatly improve your mental health. She also reveals the concrete things we can do to encourage our most heroic selves to step forward.
Awakening the Heroes Within – Carol S. Pearson – In this bold and original work, Carol S. Pearson shows that the heroic quest isn’t just for certain people under special circumstances. Exploring the many heroic paths available to each of us, at every point in our lives, her innovative program enables us to live heroically by activating and applying twelve archetypes in our lives.
Heroic Humility – Dr. Everett L. Worthington Jr. PhD – In this age of selfies, instant celebrity, and corporate scandals, the need for greater humility is pressing. This book synthesizes both research and theory relevant to humility and heroism, articulating a vision of heroic humility—humility of such great depth that it inspires others.
My Hero is You – IASC MHPSS RG – “My Hero is You”, a story developed for and by children around the world, offers a way for children and parents to together think about the questions the pandemic raises. Designed to be read by a parent, caregiver or teacher alongside a child or a small group of children, the story was shaped by more than 1,700 children, parents, caregivers and teachers from around the world who took the time to share how they are coping with the impact of COVID-19.
Marvelous Cornelius – Phil Bildner & John Parra – Cornelius Washington was proud of his hometown, New Orleans. His job as a sanitation worker was important before Hurricane Katrina devastated the city but became even more important after when Cornelius worked with others to help restore it. Textured illustrations and a hope-filled narrative combine fact with fiction for a moving look at a catastrophic event.
Dare the Wind – Tracey Fern – This is a fascinating read about a woman who bucked the gender roles of her day to become a great navigator. The author also teaches young girls to combine the caution of reading the waves (circumstances in our lives) with the courage to dare the wind (step out and take risks).
Reflections on Heroism
Working on this month’s Flash, I stumbled on a song I never heard of before, She’s Somebody’s Hero by Jamie O’Neal.
This country song reminds us that a hero can come in all kinds of packages. A hero, contrary to how we’ve been taught, doesn’t necessarily wear a cape or have their photo on the front page of a newspaper. A hero isn’t measured by their social media following, the wealth they acquire, or how beautiful they are. Oftentimes, heroes are the ones who go unnoticed.
Moms are often overlooked for their heroic commitment to their children. My mom got married at 18 years old, became a mom at 19 and raised 5 awesome kids. She’s shared with me that when she was growing up she had dreams of accomplishing various feats, going to college, having a career.
She shared that she feels like she hasn’t accomplished much in life. She said, “I’m so proud of all you’ve done, because at least you’ve done something. What have I actually done?” When I heard her say these words I felt a pain in my heart that I can’t explain and I was in shock. My mom has always been there for me. We may not always agree and she may not always support my decisions, but she’s always been there for me. And to hear that this incredible woman is questioning her value and what she’s brought into the world was beyond my understanding. After all, I am everything I am and each of my siblings are everything they are BECAUSE of her. Because of her commitment, her unconditional love. Her job may not be the most glamourous and being a full time mom may not be listed on the Forbes 40 under 40 list, but in fact, motherhood is the most important job anyone can have – after all moms are growing the leaders of tomorrow. More than that, it’s one of the hardest and underappreciated.
I’ve yet to experience the great joy of motherhood, and I can’t wait for that opportunity to be given to me. But as a single girl of 38 who may have accomplished a lot of her dreams to this day, I look at my mom and I still think “I can’t wait to grow up one day and be just like her.”
Like the song says,
“She’s never pulled anybody from a burning building
She’s never rocked Central Park to a half a million fans screaming out her name
She’s never hit a shot to win the game
She’s never left her footprints on the moon
She’s never made a solo hot air balloon ride around the world
No she’s just your everyday average girl (but)
She’s somebody’s hero
A hero to her baby with a skinned-up knee
A little kiss is all she needs
The keeper of the Cheerios
The voice that brings Snow White to life
Bedtime stories every night
And that smile lets her know
She’s somebody’s hero”
So if you’ve stumbled on this article, my message to you is simple. Take the time TODAY and reach out to your mom, dad or whoever may have dedicated their life to care for you and let them know that to you they are a hero. A hidden hero, but a hero all the same.
Due to Covid, it’s been almost a year since I’ve seen my mom, since I’ve hugged her. And so this message goes out from my heart to yours mom. I love you now, I love you always! Every accomplishment of mine, every smile I may bring to someone’s face, every good deed I commit – is in your merit. You have accomplished more than you’ll ever know simply by loving me. Can’t wait to hug you again soon…
-Orly Wahba
The Daily Kindness Digest #1274
Kindness Quote
“The true meaning of life is to plant trees under whose shade you do not expect to sit.”
Nelson Henderson
Act of Kindness
Donate blood or make an appointment to donate blood today. You might save a life.
Positive Affirmation
Today I am generous. I don’t give to receive. I give because that’s who I am.
Kindness Media
The Daily Kindness Digest #1273
Kindness Quote
“Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.”
Philo
Act of Kindness
Is your office short on the basic manners like saying hello, please, and thank you? Give a genuine heartfelt greeting to your coworkers as they head in and out of work.
Positive Affirmation
Today I will live harmoniously with others. You never know what someone may be going through; therefore, I will be kind to all.
Kindness Media
The Daily Kindness Digest #1272
Kindness Quote
“Where words fail, music speaks.”
Hans Christian Andersen
Act of Kindness
Have a knack for music? Put your talents to good use. Arrange to stop by a nursing home and play piano for the residents. Music, just like kindness, uplifts the soul!
Positive Affirmation
Today I reflect on the talents that make me unique and put more time and energy into them. I am one of a kind and I will continue to keep shining!