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).