We are too hard on ourselves, on each other, and on the planet.
Living in Cleveland, Ohio in 2023, there is an initiative created by a non-profit (Values-In-Action, https://www.viafdn.org) that has inspired me called Kindland. It simply is about being more kind and caring to others and to your community.
We need more kindness in our world.
We need more peaceful, positive agents of change. People with the courage to care and do what they know is right in their hearts.
We have too much obsession with the mind. Of labeling, judging, analyzing, obsessing, categorizing, comparing, etc…
The mind has an important place, no doubt. It has just gotten way out of control and we have forgotten our hearts largely behind. A massive imbalance in how we live has been going on for a long time.
We need more living from the heart! Of seeing the person behind the job title, the pain in the eyes of strangers, and the despair of those living on the streets. When we truly live from our center, we feel deep empathy for our brothers and sisters living on this planet, and we see them as that, all family. We find how we can bring light to the darkness, even if but a simple act of acknowledgment and a random act of kindness.
We can start with how we treat ourselves through:
Laughing more
Being more joyful
Being compassionate to ourselves when we are feeling worn out and beaten down
Taking better care of our bodies
Respecting our needs and feelings
Listening to our heart
Striving to be our own unique selves
Being present
Being grateful for all the good and bad as there are lessons in it all
Being more conscious of the consequences of our actions or lack thereof
How we treat others:
Seeing the person behind the pain
Treating all people with respect
Trying to understand people who are not being their best selves
Not judging in a way that lessens a person. (Judging if something/someone is serving life or not is a totally different story - lookup nonviolent communication for more information on this)
Smiling at people more
Listening to what others are going through
Caring enough to see how we can be of service to our local community/family/friends
Learning people by their names and building relationships
Lending a helping hand when possible
Teaching others what you know
Helping the homeless (you don’t know their story, don’t judge them, say something encouraging and give them something useful like a blanket, bottle of water, or cup of soup)
Thinking more like a creator and not a consumer
How we treat the land:
Being less wasteful
Thinking about the impact of our choices and way of life
Having respect for the natural world and the animals
Learning to be more crafty by repairing, reusing or repurposing what you have
Learning to be more self-sufficient
Being more efficient with how we drive and live
Buying local whenever possible
Recycling when possible
Buying biodegradable products instead of plastic
Using less plastic
Donating what you don’t need
Embracing minimalist/essentialist living ideas
Caring for all that you have. The better you maintain, the less you will throw away and waste
The further we drift from a heart-based life, the more violent and mechanical we become to all of life because we view it as separate and see only what we can take. When you realize you are both separate AND connected then you do everything with more care. What can be used, what profits can be gained, and what is the next shiny object to acquire…it is a vapid and shallow existence if one follows that path. It ends with depression and/or psychopathy.
There is a better way:
To listen instead of always having to talk.
To see the abundance all around you.
To be grateful for what you already have…your job, your family, your vehicle, your home, your food…
To realize how rich you truly are and really appreciate it.
To find ways to give back.
To see the problems of this world and still believe you can make a change, even if in but one life.
To live and love like it could be your last day.
To see that less stuff means more everything else that really matters.
To see how you can improve the lives of those around you.
Share what you know and what has worked for you when you see the opportunity to help.
To lend a tool, a book, a helping hand.
To realize everyone on this planet is hurt to some degree.
To see the commonality in our shared human experience.
Some people may think…”Well what can I do, I’m just one person who works as a cashier at X Company.”
Well, guess what. Think about how many people you interact with on a daily basis. Now imagine asking each of them how their day is going and genuinely caring. Even if someone is having a rough day, that is an opportunity to empathize with them, listen, and encourage them if you feel that’s what they need. Let’s say you see 100 people in a day. Let’s also say you work a 40-hour work week with 2 weeks of PTO a year.
5 x 50 x 100 = 25,000
You could potentially positively impact 25,000 people a year!
See…it doesn’t matter how basic or unimportant you think or your job is.
You can affect change more than you could ever realize by seeing what you CAN affect.
What you can do.
Who you can see, help or encourage.
So this week, and every week after that. Be a kinder, more empathetic person and watch your and our world change, with one moment at a time.
P.S. I like to use Native American quotes a lot because I see a lot of truth, knowledge, and ageless wisdom from them that we lack in our modern world.