Kindness Reminders

We've all heard that kindness is both psychologically and physiologically good for you. Even the act of witnessing kindness has health benefits. But did you know kindness is also the antidote for anxiety? Research shows that opening your heart to others reduces your own fear. Because anxiety has to do with feeling threatened and alone, connecting with others tends to take the sting out of the fear.

Remember the post I made on World Kindness Day about Boom! Boom! Cards? Well, I won a deck in their Thanksgivaway. Tonight, I registered the deck and logged in my first Boom! Boom! Card.

#23 - The next time you tip someone, be overly generous. It'll make their day.

This was an easy choice for me. As a waitress in college, I know how difficult the job is and those folks depend on their tips.

Thanks Mary Beth!

I've followed the Rachel's Challenge movement (called the Kindness and Compassion Club) for years now and I'm always amazed at how fresh they keep the message and their ability to take it to every audience's level — high school, corporate climate, and now an elementary school version. Every year or so I like updating folks on the new ways the program grows and continues to preserve Rachel's legacy.

I received an email last night from Canadian partner-in-kind, Meredith Fraser. Meredith is the program coordinator for the social movement 1000 Acts of Kindness, an organization she created in response to a series of hate-motivated incidents in her community of London, Ontario. Troubled by the feelings of powerlessness she and her neighbors felt in stopping crimes of hate, Meredith turned the focus on what we can do to spread kindness — the solution to hate. She began by challenging the people of her city to work together to complete 1,000 acts of kindness during the month of October, 2009. By the end of the month, the movement racked up 52,115 acts of kindness... way beyond the initial goal. The London Urban Services Organization has continued the initiative for every October, recording 104,409 acts on the ticker this past month.

Thanks, Meredith, for your email, support, and kindness!

Yes! For those following the Kindness Cab's trek across America, I'd like to update you by reporting the Kindness Cab has arrived in LA. This was the last stop for author and TV host Leon Logothetis that generated $11,500 for charity. Congrats Leon for completing your mission riddled with mechanical issues and inclement weather. Not only were you successful in raising cash to fund books for classrooms and schools, you've spread the simple but beautiful message: be kind.

You can keep up with this kindness guru's global adventures on his blog

This was a guest post I made for the Kindred series at Kind Over Matter. If you are not familiar with KOM, I suggest you take a look. Amanda always has something posted that lifts my spirit! It reiterates what I was feeling last week and seems like a perfect idea for a Monday.

Living a Kinder Lifestyle

While the world celebrates a day dedicated to inspiring kindness, this impassioned community of do-gooders is tracking the chain reaction effects of kindness worldwide. Boom Boom! Cards are 26 “call to action” cards that are designed to create the world we want through simple acts of kindness you commit and then track on their website. You can see global kindness in action when the card carrying members of the Boom Boom! Revolution (BBR) pass Boom Boom! Cards along all over the world.
How to play:

1. Register your deck
2. Pick a card and perform the suggested act
3. Give the card to the recipient of the act
4. Enter your kind act on the website with its ID number and then watch the ripples of kindness spread

These suggestions for supporting the individuals of our armed forces came from a USA Today article I read yesterday. A few simple, at no cost, ways to say thanks:

- Thank the troops directly by sending an e-greeting with your special message. Head to Facebook for the U.S. Army page, the U.S. Navy page, the Marines page, the U.S. Airforce page or the U.S. Department of Defense page. Or you can simply visit USO.org to leave your message with a few quick clicks.

- The American Red Cross and Pitney Bowes have teamed up for the fifth annual Holiday Mail for Heroes program. From now until Dec. 10, you are invited to send holiday cards to our American servicemembers, their families, and veterans all over the world. Anyone can send a card and you can send as many as you would like! Please send all cards to:

I've spent the last 48 hours troubleshooting my computer. What a nightmare for those as technology challenged as I! And handling stress is not a strong personality trait of mine. So, when my son (in one breath) reminded me of a meeting for the basketball team parents last night, requested to be driven to school early this morning for tutoring, and showed me his possibly broken finger injury which needed medical attention, I'd reached my breaking point. When did life become so complicated?

Especially for our kids. Students are encouraged to take advanced courses, play sports, take leadership positions in clubs, and let's not forget the unprecedented emphasis put on testing. Taking home hours of homework and staying after school for extracurricular activities keeps young people rushing 24-7. And many teens work part-time jobs. No wonder we are seeing such high levels of anxiety and depression among our youth.