Today is World Kindness Day!

"When you are kind to others, it not only changes you, it changes the world." – Harold Kushner

Someone, somewhere decided there needs to be a designated day to remind us to be kind to others.

It’s a sad state of affairs when we need to be reminded to practice common courtesies. However, in this world, remind ourselves we must.

In reality, when you spread kindness, you’re really helping yourself immensely. When we give to others, without reservation, ulterior motive or expectation, we are truly giving of ourselves which opens up the floodgates allowing wonderful things to manifest in our own lives.

Yes, it does indeed boomerang right back to us and our individual life. Our spirit soars when we practice random acts of kindness. We are living our authentic lives because we are giving freely from our hearts.

I know I am blessed. I recognize that I am most fortunate as I do acknowledge the many kindnesses I have received in my life, as most people do when they put just a bit of thought into it. I also realize we all have had not so very nice or kind things occur, but let’s not dwell on those. The kindness memories are much more pleasurable.

See if you can do something kind for someone today and you will see you are doing yourself a kindness as well. Practicing random acts of kindness every day affects major changes in your life.

Keep a log if need be. Start with today, think of 10 things you could do over the course of the next week and do only one a day . . . just one. Making a list of 10 gives you choices over the next 7 days. Here’s a list to get you started.

1. Simply saying, “Thank you” and “Have a nice day” to a cashier, receptionist or some stranger, doesn’t cost you a thing. We have no idea what is going on in someone else’s life – these words may be the only kind offering they receive all day. Say it sincerely, with complete intention – you never know how it will change their life.

2. Notice the trash in the road, parking lot or somewhere that allows you to stop and pick it up? No one is telling you to stop in the middle of the highway – pick up the trash you see as you go about your day and recycle it or throw it away. This is an act of kindness that affects each and every one of us on this planet: water ways, plants, animals, people, everything.

3. Is there someone with a carriage trying to put children in the car while getting the groceries loaded? Return the carriage to the carousel for that person – you’ll get a huge smile with a very warm and sincere thank you. Makes your own heart feel so good!

4. If you’re in good health, and are able to walk, park at the far end of the lot rather than taking a space near the door. Leave that space for someone who isn't as able as you.

5. Share your umbrella – it’s thoughtful, it’s kind and hey, you never know, you just may make a new friend. Of course, you do need to carry an umbrella with you so you can share.

6. Let a fellow driver in line ahead of you – watch in your rear view mirror as this dominos. It’s amazing. When others see you let someone in line, they start to do it, before you know it, the traffic is flowing at a nice pace.

7. It doesn’t matter, male or female, hold a door open for someone else. Yes, we’re all in a hurry. When someone does that for me, it makes my heart smile just to know someone actually acknowledged my presence. It allows me to stop, even if just for a nanosecond, take a deep breath and move forward more positively.

8. Surprise someone by putting a quarter in the meter before you pull out of the parking space.

9. Buy flowers at the grocery store and give one away, make someone's day.

10. Not using all the coupons you have? Give them to someone else rather than throwing them away or putting them in the recycle bin. It’s a recycling random act of kindness – a two for one if you will, good deal for everyone!

Now make a list of a few kindnesses you have received in your life, just a few. You can do it – my list includes:

1. A neighbor, before she became a close friend, had just come back from Ecuador and brought me the most gorgeous, long stem red roses I had ever seen. They were so tall. I had only met her a week before at a garden club meeting and yet, she felt to bring me roses, just because. This gesture meant so much to me then. I think about it often still. It wasn’t the first time either.

2. Years ago, walking through the Boston Public Gardens with two friends, a young gentleman came running up to me with a bouquet of red roses, he hurriedly pushed them into my hands saying, “Here, you look like you deserve these” – I will never forget that, I was stunned, as were my friends. It was so out of the blue. I then turned around and shared them with my friends – we each got 4 roses. That man, unknowingly I believe, performed a double random act of kindness. You never know how far a kindness will go.

3. While driving back from a conference in Vermont in 1997 I skidded on the highway, did two 360's and flipped over the guard rail landing my Ford Explorer, drivers side down, on the top of Birch Trees. Birch Trees! Do you know how fragile birch trees are? I managed to crawl through the broken glass, past the crushed roof and out the passenger door window when a hand appeared and pulled me up the side of the mountain. It was a gentleman who attended the conference, saw what happened and stopped to help. The roads were very icy and slick from the snow/sleet mix that was coming down heavily and there were many accidents occurring all over the state. He called the police, since I was not bleeding and not visibly injured, which was amazing, the police were tending to the more severe accidents leaving no one available to come to this scene. This dear man drove me an hour out of the way to the nearest police station to pick up accident reports and then drove me home to Massachusetts – a 5 hour ride. He lived two towns away from me. How lucky was that? Or was it luck at all? No, I know it wasn't luck - it was meant. On the way home, as we talked, we learned we shared the same birthday – different year, same day, and our birthday was only two days away. I remember his act of kindness every year on “our” birthday and I say a little prayer for him. Shout out to Chuck – you were a Godsend, I know that – thank you so much!

There are many other acts of kindness I’ve received in my life, some too personal to mention, they’re for me and my memories only.

Whether big or small, we all have memories of kindnesses we’ve received. For me, those memories make me want to share kindness with others.

I intend you many kindnesses not just on this day, but each and every day, and continue to both receive and give kindness whenever and wherever you are able.