If you do one thing at Christmas make it this: acts of kindness
(Collective Evolution | ) As we enter into the ‘silly season’ I felt inspired to write about what I wish Christmas could mean for everyone. In a world where we have so much focus on material goods, (and never is this more obvious than at Christmas time) I think its time to touch on something that is far more important.
Giving to those that need it most
And that is, have you ever thought about what exactly the true meaning of Christmas might be? What do you think it is? Being with family and friends? Eating a lot of good food or going away somewhere nice? Yes it can be all of that, but for me, it is more about giving.
Not the giving of expensive presents to family members and friends, but instead, giving to those that need it most.
Yes, I know that is a cliche, but its a valid one, and it is so very important right now.
Gentleness and kindness will make our homes a paradise upon earth.
– C. A. Bartol
Only we will make the changes needed
Looking at the state of the world, with all of it’s chaos, more and more people are suffering. Homelessness is reaching unprecedented levels in many ‘first world’ countries. There are more than 114,000 people living on the streets alone in California (with likely even more since those terrifying fires a few weeks ago), and in the UK, it has recently been reported that 1 in 200 people are homeless. Hungary have recently declared that homelessness is a crime.
We are countries with access to enormous wealth, yet our governments are cutting funding for important programs to look after our most vulnerable people.
A great man shows his greatness by the way he treats little men. – Thomas Carlyle
Seeing that this has become a global problem, and one that is not improving, it has become clearer to me, that only WE can really make the differences needed now. It truly sits on our shoulders as individuals to make more of a conscious effort to help those around us.
We have to stop waiting for others to sweep in and make these changes, we have to help do it ourselves.
I know, many may say ‘I am struggling myself to survive’ or ‘ I don’t have any spare money’, but kindness to others can be totally free.
For inspiration, please watch this beautiful and touching clip below that really lets you feel the power of kindness. I am sure that even by watching this clip, many of you will be inspired now to go and do something for someone in need. I was inspired to write this article after viewing this clip and I know it will create a domino effect!
You know, it’s not actually that hard to be kind. You just have to have your mind ready to see an opportunity for being helpful to someone else.
Being kind to others, is actually a gift to yourself, the joy you feel in your heart when you do something nice and thoughtful for others, is a truly amazing feeling. It literally gives your heart a big happy bursting feeling. It feels like real love.
Science shows kindness is good for you
There actually is scientific evidence that being kind is very good for your own health, and for the other people who experience your kindness. Kindness can also create a domino effect, and your act alone could end up helping many people, perhaps hundreds of event thousands.
Giving beats any short lived feeling you get from buying something material when you know that you have made a difference to someone else, especially when it helps them when they are at their lowest point.
If I have spare change in my bag, I do try and give to homeless people, (or instead buy them a meal) and despite that some will say ‘we shouldn’t encourage it’ I feel this is very unfair, as we never know their back story and how they ended up on the streets.
I think many of us turn our backs on them (like I used to) because if we really thought about it, we are probably petrified that we could end up like that. For this reason alone, if you can, give, because would you not hope that people would help you if you were in the same position?
A little thought and a little kindness are often worth more than a great deal of money. – John Ruskin
Kindness unites people like nothing else can and it is what we desperately need to bring our fractured societies back together. With so much division between us now, what can heal this is our acts of kindness.
Everyone matters
Every single person wants to feel that they matter, it’s embedded into our consciousness. When a stranger does something kind for someone they don’t know it is even more special, because it was their way of saying ‘I see you, I don’t know you, but I care and you matter to me’
I have had many people be kind to me, in times of severe depression, where I nearly ended my life, I always had people show me that I mattered to them and not to give up.
I know this is what got me through those very dark times. Their acts of kindness, made me realise I wasn’t worthless or truly alone, which brought me to be here today.
I am very lucky now to have this opportunity here to share important things with millions of readers around the world.
Who will benefit from your own ripple effects?
What if no one had of been kind to me when I was so low and in a desperate place? Would I not be here today? I really believe no, that I wouldn’t be. We all are capable of creating positive ripple effects that can literally go around the world.
This is the power we all have, that you have, to impact someone else’s life positively, and maybe even many other peoples lives.
No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted. – Aesop
Kindness comes in so many forms, and we are all capable of doing many of them. You just have to open your heart and want to make the effort to do it.
I hope this Christmas you experience kindness in action, and could maybe even consider making a pact to continue this long after the festive season is over.
Beginning today, treat everyone you meet as if they were going to be dead by midnight. Extend to them all the care, kindness and understanding you can muster, and do it with no thought of any reward. Your life will never be the same again. Og Mandino
Source: Collective Evolution
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