.jpg)
‘Tis the season of giving! During December, we naturally think of ways to show our family and friends that we care. Whether baking cookies and mailing them to a grandparent who lives far away or buying a child a special gift they’ve been eyeing, December is a month of kindness.
To cap off our year of Holistic Living Challenges, this month we encourage you to expand on the spirit of this time of year and practice random acts of kindness every day. Go beyond dropping your spare change in the nearest bell-ringer’s bucket, embrace the power of kindness, and watch the ripple effect - both what it inspires in you and what it inspires in others!
“Those who make compassion an essential part of their lives find the joy of life. Kindness deepens the spirit and produces rewards that cannot be completely explained in words. It is an experience more powerful than words. To become acquainted with kindness one must be prepared to learn new things and feel new feelings. Kindness is more than a philosophy of the mind. It is a philosophy of the spirit.” ~ Robert J. Furey
Are you ready to touch the lives of strangers and make this world a little better? Whether you already try to live this way or not, take our December Holistic Living Challenge and share your experience for a chance to win great prizes!
Here are the details:
Challenge: Practice Random Acts of Kindness
Directions:
- Brainstorm some ideas. Take some time to write down ideas for things you can do. Here’s a list to get you started:
- Shovel someone’s sidewalk. Get up bright and early after it snows and surprise a neighbor by shoveling their walk.
- Let someone go in front of you in line. Moms with squiggly toddlers and fussy babies are especially appreciative of this simple gesture.
- Give care packs to the homeless. Put together a package containing things like toothbrushes, toothpaste, soap, shampoo, deodorant, food, clothes, a blanket, and other necessities. Keep it in the trunk of your car and give it to a homeless person the next time you see one.
- Pay for the next person in line. If you’re getting a coffee or tea, pay for the drink for the person behind you at the same time.
- Send flowers to a lonely shut-in. Visit your nearest retirement or nursing home and ask a staff person if there’s a resident who doesn’t have regular visitors or packages in the mail. Send that person some flowers or a small gift to spread a little holiday cheer. If you want to go a step beyond, see if that person would like to chat for a bit or play a board game.
- Smile - a lot! It’s easy and contagious!
- Be generous with compliments - especially with people who likely don’t hear them often enough. Tell your school janitor or garbage man you appreciate the service he performs. Tell the receptionist at the doctor’s office thanks for always being so helpful.
- Get others involved. Talk to your children about practicing random acts of kindness and ask them what they’d feel comfortable doing. Tell friends and family about your ideas and experiences and encourage them to join in.
- Share your ideas and experience for a chance to win great prizes!
