7 Day Kindness Challenge

Kindness: 4 Minute Read

“Be the change you wish to see in the world.” These words from Gandhi ran through my mind as I sadly strolled the streets of my neighborhood on my daily morning walk. I wasn’t necessarily sad about my life, but more so troubled about the current state of the world. The divisions in politics breeding hatred and distrust, the global pandemic upending nearly every aspect of our lives, and the struggles of small businesses shuddering their doors for good have been some of the most troubling issues for me. 

As I normally do on my morning walks, I continued diving deeper into the problem in search of a solution. Why are things like this and can I do my part to help? I asked myself. A series of thoughts eventually led me to an idea that would positively impact the people around me in hopes of creating a ripple effect.

The idea was to start performing a random act of kindness every day. For every person’s day I would try impacting for the better, I hoped that they would then walk around happier and pay it forward.

On my way home, I walked by a house with sprinklers on, but spraying the street rather than the lawn. This was my opportunity to start! I knelt down, repositioned the two sprinklers, and continued on my walk excited about my new goal. It happened to be July 1st, the perfect time to start my new “30 Day Challenge”.

As the days of July passed, I had so many fulfilling and rewarding experiences both simple and profound. From simply walking around sticking post-it notes with positive messages on strangers’ cars to taking some time picking up trash on the beach, the month was beginning to positively impact my life. I found myself eagerly searching for how I could spread kindness each day, often doing more than just my one act a day. There are two stories in particular that I would like to share:

Dave. One evening, I spent some time getting to know Dave, a homeless man in my hometown. Being ignored and rejected by most people he engages, I figured he could use some friendly conversation. How simple it could be to make Dave’s day by just getting to know him, looking him in the eyes, and talking to him about his day. During the COVID-19 pandemic, I think it is safe to say that we all experienced a lack of connection with people, which someone like Dave experiences daily.

William. I came across William as I admired the beautiful jellyfish set in glass at an outdoor, artisanal fair. William, about eight years old, had very politely raised his hand asking the vendor if there was anything for sale for $6.00, as that was all he had saved up. He was saddened to hear that the glowing jellyfish was beyond his savings, so he politely thanked the vendor and began to walk away. Seeing this put a smile on my face as it was refreshing to see such a young boy knowing the importance of saving money. I decided to buy William one of the jellyfish. I let him know that it was for his amazing politeness and for recognizing the importance of saving. The young boy was then brought to tears and hugged his mom. 

The profoundness of the experiences I had over the course of the month was too great not to share and I wanted that ripple of positivity to grow into waves. I found myself asking how I could get others to join in doing their part to spread kindness, positivity, love, connection, and understanding. I knew what I had to do. I planned to share my story in hopes that others would begin their own challenge. Better yet, I would partner with Priority Organics to give away a free deodorant stick to anyone who completes the challenge to help turn my small ripple of positivity into a tsunami of kindness.  

With that, I would like to announce a 7 Day Kindness Challenge by Priority Organics to help make kindness a priority as we recognize that you cannot have physical health without mental health. Please see the link below to sign up for the challenge and learn how you can participate.

https://7-day-challenge.ck.page/776dd87d88

To end my short story, I ask that even if you do not participate in the challenge, that you be kind and respectful to others. We all have our own stories, views, and afflictions and should strive to be more compassionate. As the famous author Scott Adams once said, “There’s no such thing as a small act of kindness. Every act creates a ripple with no logical end.” The next time you feel saddened by the world around you, ask yourself how you can create your own ripple of kindness.

Kindest Regards,