I love to read sweet soft romance novels. One of my favorite authors is Debbie Macomber, and I devoured several of her holiday stories this year. In one of them, the heroine had a nasty neighbor she decided she was going to reform by being so kind the neighbor couldn’t help but respond. Of course, she was successful and there was a happy ending, after some turmoil.
Macomber writes, in the heroine’s voice, “Being kind is like looking at your own reflection in the calm waters of a lake. An act of kindness ripples those waters, like a stone tossed upon the surface.”
Most of us could use kindness, and most of us are capable of showing kindness. Start this new year by looking for ways to be kind versus critical. It really can be easy. Say something positive rather than negative. Call a business who has shown exceptional service to compliment them, rather than to just complain. Write to compliment a colleague when they’ve done exceptional work. Praise your children for the good things they do rather than the things they forget. Think of the positive before the negative.
Consider that being kind can be good for your health and wellbeing, too. When we show kindness, it ignites feel good chemicals in the brain, and makes us feel more energetic. Negative emotions can weaken the body’s resistance. Feeling good helps us make healthier choices, too. And, healthier choices lead to a host of positive wellbeing benefits. You’ve just come Full Circle!
Practice this. Be as kind as you can be for a week, and see how you feel! Put some ripples in the calm waters, and make someone’s day! Report back to me if you’d like – I’d love to hear your results!
To Your Vitality!
