Tuesday, May 15, 2012

The Kindness Project


The Kindness Project
Too often kindness is relegated to a random act performed only when we’re feeling good.  But an even greater kindness (to ourselves and others) occurs when we reach out even when we aren’t feeling entirely whole. It’s not easy, and no one is perfect. But we’ve decided it’s not impossible to brighten the world one smile, one kind word, one blog post at a time. To that end, a few of us writers have established The Kindness Project, starting with a series of inspirational posts.


Wow. What a great thing to do. The above group of bloggers have started this amazing Kindness Project. I read their posts last week and wanted to participate. We can't have enough kindness in the world, in my opinion. Every second Wednesday they are going to post a blog on kindness. I am going to join them -
are you?

To that end, I thought I would share a couple of thoughts on kindness. I am currently trying to practice 'radical kindness'. I keep failing. And then beating myself up for not being kind to others. So what I am trying to do now is practice being just a tiny bit kind to myself, then perhaps I might be able to be kind to other people.

But one of my friends told me some success she had the other day. She had been having lots of problems with a colleague at work and no matter what she did, the situation just wouldn't improve. She tried to be kind, but found she was being impatient and critical in her head, even if not directly to the person. Then she suddenly had a brainwave. She realised that all her negative thoughts about work, and how annoying this person was, would be affecting the planet. She believes that negative thoughts harm the earth. And so, even though she was finding it difficult to be kind to this person, she wanted to be kind to the planet. From then on, every time she had a negative thought, she would stop herself and think of something else, something positive. And do you know what happened? Without her doing anything else, the situtation with her work colleague improved dramatically, to the point where she is almost starting to like her and feel compassion for her. This situation had been going on for well over a year and yet was solved in a few weeks. Her life is now so much better, and not just her relationship with this person, but in every area of her life.

I loved seeing how happy she was now after months of stress and thought it was a great example of how we don't always have to solve the problem in front of us. If we can only take our eyes off it for a moment and think of something else more positive, the Universe has a chance to rearrange itself to create a better situation.

On a slightly different note - my meditating has been going very well. I have done a minimum of 10 minutes every day, sometimes even 25 minutes, except for last weekend. I simply got too busy and forgot, so that highlighted to me the need to make it more of a habit. Someone suggested that I schedule my meditating for the same time each day and then it is more likely I will remember. Sounds like good advice. Wonder if I will take it?

I have definitely been feeling the strain after the A-Z Challenge and it has been quite nice having a week's break from blogging. I am ready to start back up and come and visit everyone - you have been warned!

Tomorrow night I am hoping to do an Open Mic reading of something I am writing as part of an Anthology my writing group (the Write On, Mamas!) is going to self-publish by the end of the year. I have to keep changing it as the humourous references only work on a British audience. Arrgh! I will let you know if I am a complete flop.

22 comments:

  1. The Kindness Project is a great idea. When I had problems with individuals at work, I found that confronting the conflict directly - looking the person in the eye and saying we agree to disagree, but let's also agree to back off of each other before it esacalates - really works. That's the kindest thing I could do in those situations - find the courage to talk about it.

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    1. Glad you had success - so good if we are honest, but with kindness.

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  2. A great idea indeed. Not sure how well the cat would do as he likes flipping annoying people off..hahaha...but Pat can be nice.

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    1. LOL that cat! Sounds as if Pat could teach him a few more manners!

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  3. This is a great idea! I'd like to join in as well! Thank you for this post! :)

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  4. I must go read those posts. Perhaps they and you will inspire me. I've been told I need to schedule some readings, what with the second book coming out but I've never done that and I have massive anxiety about it. Let me know how yours goes. I'm sure you'll be amazing.

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    1. Open Mic readings are scary but fun and a good way to try out your work. Definitely do some.

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  5. Well--I am one to judge, not you! I read your piece, I know your voice, I know the place--You'll do great! Just show up early so you can be sure to nab a spot!!!

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    1. LOL Thanks Janine - just got a spot to read, phew!

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  6. P.S. Claire, can you post the link to the Kindness Project? I want to send it to Christine Carter at Raising Happiness.

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  7. Wow, what a great story about your friend. I do believe the vibrations we send out can hurt or heal everything and everyone around us! Great to have you join TKP!

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    1. Thanks Michele. Yes, I agree. Lovely to be part of TKP.

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  8. Your friend employed a really smart technique - I think it's one used in cognitive behavioral therapy, replacing negative thoughts with positive ones. I've tried it and it certainly can help, though I don't always manage it. But perhaps the first kindness we should extend is to ourselves when we mess things up, eh? :-)

    Good luck with the open mic reading! (PS: loads of Yanks, and I include myself, adore British humor. Just sayin'.) ;-)

    Some Dark Romantic

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    1. Yes, I don't think we can be truly kind to anyone else until we are kind to ourselves first.
      Thanks - Open Mic went well - but I had to change bits as I was expecting you yanks to know British books and tv progs etc

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  9. What a wonderful idea! Certainly could do with more kindness in the world.

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  10. I love the idea of showing yourself a little bit of kindness every day, because I've found that the kinder you are to yourself, the kinder you are to others.

    Good luck on the meditating. It took me a long long time to get to the place where I was actually clearing my mind and not just running dialogue about how long I'd been sitting around pretending to meditate...

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    1. I completely agree with you, Elizabeth. I go up and down with the meditating, but at the moment am at the pretending stage again lol

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  11. It's certainly a great point about being kind to yourself first. If I'm beating myself up about something, it tends to affect those around me.

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    1. Yes, I know, we don't always realise how much our mood affects those around us, do we?

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  12. Hey Claire, is this linked to the Random Acts of Kindness badges which are being handed out to bloggers across the net? It is a really nice idea.
    The A-Z left me exhausted also and I have had a few days rest away from blogging as well!

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