The Kindness Box

[Geoff-Allen]

When you hear the word “kindness”, what’s the first thing that comes to mind? Is it about being nice to other people? Or is it doing good things whenever possible?

Truth is, there is more to kindness than being nice and doing right by others. In fact, there may not be a single word that can describe the true meaning of kindness.

The dictionary defines kindness as the quality of being friendly, generous, and considerate. Other synonyms of kindness are goodwill, warmth, tenderness, selflessness, and benevolence.

Yet none of those terms can truly convey the significance and complexity of the word.

The True Definition of Kindness and Its Importance

When you hear the word "kindness", what's the first thing that comes to mind? Truth is, there is more to kindness than being nice and doing right by others.

ofhsoupkitchen.org

All the best!

 

[Geoff-Allen]

Kindness quotes altruism

50 Kindness Quotes to Make the World a Better Place

These words of wisdom will inspire grace.

www.oprahdaily.com

Cheers!

 

[Geoff-Allen]

25 Organizations Supporting Victims of War

International Committee of the Red Cross

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is a private international humanitarian organization whose exclusive mission is to ‘’protect the lives and dignity of victims of armed conflict and other situations of violence and to provide them with assistance’’. Established in 1863, the ICRC’s work is based on the Geneva Conventions and the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. The organization prevents suffering by promoting and strengthening humanitarian law.

Wherever the conflicts occur, the ICRC responds quickly to help people who are affected. It does that by meeting immediate material needs and ensuring that consequences of the conflict, such as disease, hunger, loss of income, injury, do not jeopardize the livelihoods of those who are affected. Depending on the nature of the crisis, the ICRC provides help in the material relief (such as medicine, food, cash and similar) as well as repairing water supply plants or building medical facilities. In addition, the organization trains medical and other staff to be able to provide immediate assistance on the field and builds capacities of local institutions to be able to provide essential services such as health care, sanitation and water.

Full list here -

25 Organizations Supporting Victims of War

International Committee of the Red Cross The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is a private international humanitarian organization whose exclusive mission is to ‘’protect the lives and dignity of victims of armed conflict and other situations of violence and to provide them with...

www.humanrightscareers.com

All the best!

 

[Geoff-Allen]

Aussie list of websites helping those in need -

Website Resources - The Allison Baden-Clay Foundation

www.allisonbadenclayfoundation.org.au

Cheers!

 

[Geoff-Allen]

25 Ways to Help a Fellow Human Being Today

"If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion." – Dalai Lama

Too often the trend in our society is for people to be separated from either other, to be cut off from the great mass of humanity, and in doing so to be dehumanized a little bit more with each step.

Cars have taken us off the streets, where we used to greet each other and stop to chat. Cubicles have taken away a bit of the humanity in working, as have factories and even computers to some extent. Television has planted us firmly in our living rooms, instead of out with other people. Even movie theatres, where many people get together, cut us off from true conversation because we’re staring at a big screen.

Read the suggestions here -

25 Ways to Help a Fellow Human Being Today - zen habits

Photo courtesy of popofatticus

zenhabits.net

All the best!

 

[Geoff-Allen]

Another site listing suggestions for helping out -

27 Simple Ways to Help a Fellow Human Being Today - Lifestyle Revolt

Being selfless by helping people can have a long-lasting effect on someone's life. Not only will it make you feel great but it can also make someone's day.

lifestylerevolt.com

Scroll to -

Human interaction is critical to our well-being.

Especially at an advanced age when you are no longer able to care for yourself and living in a nursing home away from friends and family.

Some seniors have the benefits of having friends and family around to take care of them, but many do not.

Show kindness to those that came before us by visiting a nursing home and spending time with an elder.

Don’t worry about coming up with activities to do together, just being there is enough — also many nursing homes will provide you with a list of activities that you can do with the person you visit.

 

[Geoff-Allen]

Write notes of appreciation to people who made a positive difference in your life. It could be a former co-worker, neighbor, teacher, minister, or someone else. (Use tools like Facebook to help track down the person if a resident isn’t sure of their current location.)

70 Acts Of Kindness Our Residents Can Do For Others – NursingHomeVolunteer.com

Our residents often receive care from others. But how often do we give them an opportunity to care for others? You'll find 70 excellent opportunities here!

nursinghomevolunteer.com

Cheers!

 

[Geoff-Allen]

After several more clicks -

Notes of kindness

Research indicates that kindness enhances our wellbeing. In particular, performing acts of kindness can release the hormone oxytocin, which makes us feel good and decreases stress. Kindness can also activate endorphins in areas of the brain associated with pleasure, social connections and trust. These feelings inspire further acts of kindness causing a ripple effect.

Kindness is a character strength that we should be focusing on all the time. These kindness notes were inspired by the Coronavirus year 2020! We decided that in December we needed to finish the year with kindness. These cards can be left on your child’s pillow, lunchbox or in an advent calendar. Teachers might like to have a Kindness Calendar where students take a daily note.

Remember to “Be kind!” to yourself and others.

Notes of Kindness - Growing Strong Minds

These notes of kindness help you focus on this important character strength.

growingstrongminds.com

Enjoy!

 

[Geoff-Allen]

“Empathy is simply listening, holding space, withholding judgment, emotionally connecting, and communicating that incredibly healing message of you’re not alone.”

Brene Brown

“You can only understand people if you feel them in yourself.”

John Steinbeck

“Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.”

Leo Buscaglia

More from quotesgems kindness

 

[sun rise]

“You can only understand people if you feel them in yourself.”

John Steinbeck

I like the way that's worded.

 

[Geoff-Allen]

I like the way that's worded.

Me too. You can get many insights from classic works of "fiction"! Enjoy your browsing!

TOP 25 QUOTES BY JOHN STEINBECK (of 697) | A-Z Quotes

Discover John Steinbeck famous and rare quotes. Share John Steinbeck quotations about writing, literature and books. "Socialism never took root in America because the..."

www.azquotes.com

Plus similar writers - one huge site!

 

[Geoff-Allen]

When we hear the word love, we tend to think about the romantic kind. But love, especially love for others, comes in all forms and varying degrees. It shows in how we care for our children, respect our parents, and look out for our neighbors and strangers. It’s the reason why charity exists and why some people are willing to devote their lives to the service of others. If you think about it, love is essentially the thread that holds our society together.

45+ Moving Bible Verses About Loving Others

This article will share moving Bible verses about loving others. Find inspiration and guidance on how to show love, kindness, and compassion.

ofhsoupkitchen.org

 

[Geoff-Allen]

As I write this, we’re just a few days past Christmas. It’s a season ripe with opportunities to bless others… but really, shouldn’t we as followers of Christ be doing this year round?

Of course, yes! A brand new year is about to begin, and with it, an invitation to each of us to grow in faith and good works. I want to wake up each day, and ask myself “How can I be a blessing to others?” (Sadly, I’ve seldom done that in the past).

Not to mention, Valentine’s Day is only about six weeks out, which to me signals another great opportunity to bless others. Being perpetually single, I prefer to eschew the romantic side of Valentine’s, and instead focus on just doing something nice and encouraging for my friends, family, and co-workers.

But again, why leave the blessing one another to only holidays? I want to be a blessing to others every day, don’t you?

My prayer, is that with the Lord’s help, we can learn to always be a blessing to others—each and every day!

10 Ways to Be a Blessing to Others | Divine Creative Love

God has blessed each of us in different ways. So, how can we share that abundance, and be a blessing to others? Here are some suggestions...

www.divinecreativelove.com

 

[Geoff-Allen]

Sometimes, sharing a popular Bible verse with someone who is struggling will help remind them of God's love for them forever and always. Of course, this is not the only way to help those in need. Routinely giving back to charities, volunteering at local food banks, and being someone those can lean on in difficult times, are powerful and profound means to uplifting others. But Bible verses about helping others remind followers of Jesus Christ the importance of being kind and generous — regardless of any recognition you may receive.

31 Bible Verses About Helping Others and Caring for Those in Need

God will recognize your good heart and those in need will feel hopeful.

www.womansday.com

 

[Geoff-Allen]

"Constant kindness can accomplish much. As the sun makes ice melt, kindness causes misunderstanding, mistrust, and hostility to evaporate."

Albert Schweitzer

101 Karma Quotes

Karma means selfless action and service, while being detached from any reward or result. Here are 101 inspirational karma quotes to enlighten and bring you inner peace.

www.lexiyoga.com

 

[Geoff-Allen]

"Constant kindness can accomplish much. As the sun makes ice melt, kindness causes misunderstanding, mistrust, and hostility to evaporate."

Albert Schweitzer

101 Karma Quotes

Karma means selfless action and service, while being detached from any reward or result. Here are 101 inspirational karma quotes to enlighten and bring you inner peace.

www.lexiyoga.com

 

[Geoff-Allen]

Amazing I have neve thought of this one - tinybuddha.com kindness!

Yet to fully ...

“The greatest gifts you can give someone are your time, your love, and your attention.” ~Unknown

The other day I saw this phrase on social media: “Spread kindness, not COVID-19.” And I started thinking about how kindness is contagious, which reminded me of a viral video I’ve always loved:

A skateboarding kid falls, and a construction worker helps him up. The kid then sees an elderly woman struggling with grocery bags and helps her carry them across the street. That woman then gives coins to a woman at a parking meter who’s rifling through her purse. And on and on it goes—one act of kindness rippling through the city as each person pays it forward to someone else.

I think we could all use a little extra love and kindness right now. We could all use a reminder that even when times are tough, people care. And that’s what really matters. Not that we have everything we want, but we have everything we need, because people are looking out for us.

How to Make Someone Smile: 10 Mindful Acts of Kindness - Tiny Buddha

I've come up with 10 COVID-friendly ideas to practice mindful kindness and make someone smile. Tag, you’re it—pass the good vibes on!

tinybuddha.com

All the best!

 

[Geoff-Allen]

Sometimes we can be so focused on our own healing journey and our own happiness, that we can forget how important it is to make the people around us smile as well.

This can seem like the opposite of what I talk about on this blog—because most of the time I talk about how it is important to focus on putting yourself first. And I still stand by that.

However, that doesn’t mean that we should completely forget about the happiness of everyone else around us, or that our happiness is the only happiness that matters.

You could be the reason someone smiles today.

14 Ways To Be The Reason Someone Smiles Today

You could be the reason someone smiles today. Making someone else smile is a beautiful way to spread kindness, and I believe that we can always use more

creatingselflove.com

 

[Geoff-Allen]

Getting Started on Path to Happiness {Happier human}

 

[sun rise]

@Geoff-Allen , if you've posted this I forgot. But in any event I love real life examples of not judging and kindness like this one.

NPR: A man asking for change gave a woman a rare glimmer at a dark period of her life​

"My Unsung Hero" tells the stories of people whose kindness left a lasting impression on someone else. And today's story comes from Laura Eshelman. In 2012, Eshelman was in the middle of a mental health spiral. The love of her life had just dumped her and she was struggling with an eating disorder. To top it all off, she was having trouble finding work. One day, after being rejected for yet another job, she encountered an unexpected unsung hero.