“What this world needs is a new kind of army — the army of the kind.” ~ Cleveland Amory
Hello Friends, and welcome to Week One of our six week Kindness Challenge.
To participate in today’s challenge all you need to do is select and perform one of the following kindness activities. The beneficiaries of our acts of kindness for Week One will be strangers.
Of course, if you choose to do this activity more than once, or to work on one each day that’s absolutely fine as well. In fact, it’s wonderful. 🙂
Okay, Kindness Ambassadors, let’s go!
- Give a smile and a warm hello to someone in the street.
- Wave and say thank you to the man or woman holding the stop/go sign at the roadworks or pedestrian crossing. (There was an especially grumpy man who does this job at a major roadworks near me. I consider it a personal victory that after six months of smiling and waving and saying hello and thank you to his stony face he now waves and smiles back at me every single time!)
- Give a smile and a genuine thank you to someone who has served or helped you. Eg: Thank you, that coffee was delicious. Thank you, I look forward to my lunch here every day. Honour a serviceman or woman by thanking them for their service to your country.
- Give a smile and a compliment to a stranger. Pay attention to the girl who sells you your newspaper, or the shy youth at the supermarket checkout. Notice the lovely handbag or perfume or haircut or tie or interesting jewellery or smile or skill or attitude of another person. Be genuine and mean what you say. Here are some examples: Excuse me, I love your shoes. Wow, you added that up in your head so fast. That was an awesome reverse park. The flowers in your garden are beautiful. You have such a well-behaved dog.
- Donate some old blankets to a pet shelter, or some clothes, books or other unwanted goods to a charity so that they can help someone you’ll never meet.
- Write a letter to a company/school/business/service praising an employee or volunteer who has been helpful to you and given exceptional service or done something you feel needs positive acknowledgement.
- Practice a few minutes of Bliss Bombing. (See note below)
The Art of Bliss Bombing
Bliss Bombing is really good for shy people. If you aren’t able to get out and about, do this to a plane flying above you, a car going down the road, or to a place in the world that you feel needs a little extra kindness.
This is a gorgeous activity, and one of my favourites. If you’re able to, take yourself to a public place, like a mall, coffee shop, or a bench in a park near where people are walking by. Sit somewhere unobtrusive. When someone walks past, shoot a radiant shower of golden sparks from your heart to theirs and silently bless them with love. You can even send joy and love from your heart to trees, animals, plants, bus-loads of commuters and overhead planes. You might want to say to yourself, “I bless you with love. Know joy today.” If anyone catches your eye, just smile.
Feel your open heart begin to tingle with energy and joy. In that place of energetic connection look around you at the world and you will see that it IS brighter and more beautiful because of YOU.
Congratulations, Kindness Ambassadors! Today your kindness has helped contribute to a positive flow of energy in the world.
It’s okay to let your face crack open from smiling. Thank the Universe for this amazing experience we call life. Expect an outpouring of feel-good emotion. ♥ Don’t be at all surprised at how the Universe will mirror your love and energetic abundance back to you.
Fantastic list 🙂
Love this so much! Count me in! There’s a homeless man & his dog who sit outside my local shop, I bought them lunch yesterday (i do occasionally anyway but kindness month gave me an extra nudge) and I’m going to sort through so clothes for the charity shop today. Yay for kindness! Thanks Nicole! Kxx
omg this is wonderful.. i plan to do this..and good luck to everyone 🙂 From Clo @ http://positiverayofsunshine.com/
Reblogged this on Hummingbird Redemption and commented:
I have so much to share, but today, this re-blogged post from Cauldrons and Cupcakes supersedes it all. xxx
Great idea and needs to be shared . Will try and re log or Facebook . Besos meaning kisses and hugs from Spain.
Bless! Besos to you too!
My 13 year old great-nephew just received the community award at his school for being the kindest to his fellow students and the staff. It filled my heart with such pride and joy I had tears in my eyes! Don’t mind me but I just had to brag! Smiles & hugs to all of you! : o )
I love to sit on a bench outside the supermarket and smile at the passers-by. Some don’t see you, some look at who you might be smiling at but others give a huge smile back and you can see it lifts their day.
There are people who have no idea how unkind they are which is sad to me kindness comes naturally
Beautiful idea Nicole, I always make a point of saying “have a great day” when I am served by a customer service representative or someone on the phone I have called regarding an enquiry. It doesn’t take a lot to be thoughtful but it is surprising how astonished people can be by it. I hope your day is full of sunshine and rainbows
Expect magic everyday…
Reblogged this on Smells Good Feels Good and commented:
This week’s kindness task is kindness to strangers and bliss bombing…love, love, love this 🙂
I love this so, so, so much 🙂
Beautiful challenge, Nicole. I did one of these just this morning, when I mailed large documents at my post office and thanked the postmistress for doing her job with such enthusiasm and a helpful attitude. I could tell she appreciated it. 🙂
As a high school teacher I used to do random acts of kindness for students who were not in my classes. I often got totally stunned faces in response but then the hugest of smiles. Love it.
Fabulous – I decided the other week to “bless” everyone that I drove past on the way to work. By bless I mean mentally compliment them – it felt so good to have so many positive thoughts in one fairly short journey. Love the term Bliss Bombing, so apt. Love your ideas!