The Kindness Box

[Geoff-Allen]

It's perfectly normal to need a dose of positivity here and there when life gets you down. Sometimes just the right quote of encouragement is all you need to turn things around.

These words of encouragement don't have to be reserved for only the bad days, though. Feel free to add one to a card and send it to a friend, text one to a co-worker, or use it as an Instagram caption. Whether you're looking for something to uplift yourself or seeking a gentle reminder to send to a friend, let this collection of encouragement quotes lead the way.

80 Encouragement Quotes For The Ups And Downs Of Life

The right encouragement quote can change your perspective. Whether want something uplifting for yourself or a friend, let this collection of encouragement quotes lead the way.

www.southernliving.com

Cheers!

 

[Geoff-Allen]

Children are naturally curious and empathetic creatures. From a young age, they are eager to explore the world around them and connect with others. As parents, educators, and caregivers, it is our responsibility to nurture and guide this innate sense of kindness in children. Teaching children about kindness and empathy can not only help them become better people, but it can also improve their overall well-being and happiness.

One of the best ways to nurture kindness in children is through simple acts of compassion and empathy. This can be as simple as encouraging children to share with others, to say please and thank you, and to help others when they need it. These small acts of kindness can have a big impact on a child's development and can lead to more significant acts of compassion as they grow older.

Comes from this page -

The Power of Kindness in Children: Nurturing Empathy and Compassion - Anita Polly Books

Power of Kindness

www.anitapollybooks.com

 

[Geoff-Allen]

In an age marked by rapid digital interaction, the ability to engage emotionally and understand others' perspectives is becoming increasingly important. For parents and caregivers, equipping youngsters with tools to express and interpret emotions constructively is pivotal to their future success and happiness.

Research shows that empathetic children are better adjusted socially, more likely to rise above peer pressure, and are less prone to aggression or bullying. They tend to become effective communicators and find it easier to form bonds with others. Empathy also empowers children to understand and cope with their feelings and the feelings of others.

From this huge site -

Nurturing Empathy in Children: The Foundation of Emotional Intelligence — Doing Good Together™

In an age marked by rapid digital interaction, the ability to engage emotionally and understand others' perspectives is becoming increasingly important. For parents and caregivers, equipping youngsters with tools to express and interpret emotions constructively is pivotal to their future success and

www.doinggoodtogether.org

All the best!

 

[Geoff-Allen]

From that site - a bunch of articles about sharing kindness- off to explore a bit more -

sharing kindness — DGT Newsletter — Doing Good Together™

www.doinggoodtogether.org

 

[Geoff-Allen]

"Pursue your relationship with God more than anything else and ask Him to show you how you can help others and lift them up."

Joyce Meyer

 

[Geoff-Allen]

Prayers for difficult people

Dear Lord,

Thank you for being with me as I face difficult people today. Keep my eyes on you as I look for you to make it all good. Keep my focus on the dreams and plans that you have for my life. Give me your words to speak in response to the difficult words. Keep my heart from becoming discouraged and bitter. Lord, let the calling you have placed on my life be a blessing and bring encouragement to the lives of others who are struggling.

In your name, I pray,

Amen

 

[Geoff-Allen]

Dear God, I come before you today with a humble heart and a desire to be more like you. Fill me with your Spirit of kindness and compassion so that I may be a light to those around me. Help me to remember Philippians 2:3 as I go about my day. Remind me to do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit but to value others above myself.

Lord, I know that kindness is not always easy, especially when I encounter difficult people or situations. I pray that you would give me the strength and wisdom to respond with grace and love. May I be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to anger.

I also ask that you would help me to see the needs of those around me. Sometimes people are hurting, and they don’t know how to ask for help. Give me eyes to see and ears to hear so that I can be a source of comfort and support to those in need.

As I go about my day, I pray that you would help me to be intentional about showing kindness to others. Whether it’s a smile, a kind word, or a simple act of service, may I be a reflection of your love and grace.

Finally, Lord, I ask that you would bless me with a heart of gratitude. Help me to recognize the blessings in my life and to be thankful for them. May my gratitude overflow into acts of kindness and generosity toward others.

Thank you, God, for your love and grace. I pray that you would help me to be more like you each day. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

From this site -

A Morning Prayer for Kindness

Everyone you meet today is an image bearer of God! Pray this morning prayer for kindness to set your heart off right.

abide.com

 

[Geoff-Allen]

The beloved Buddhist teacher Pema Chodron says generosity is the act of practicing three things:

1. giving material things
2. giving the gift of fearlessness
3. driving away the darkness of ignorance

Pema Chodron: Generosity Means Practicing These 3 Things » Soul Ninja

Pema Chodron describes generosity as the practice of offering three things. Here's the final post on generosity for the Paramita Project.

www.beasoulninja.com

Cheers!

 

[Geoff-Allen]

Prayer for God's help to be more loving - for example -

Lord, I admit that type of love doesn’t come naturally to me. The last thing I want to do when someone offends me or upsets me is to love them, much less invite them to join my family forever. But that’s exactly what you did. Lord, forgive me for not loving others the way you showed us to love. God, would you help us to love you and grow in the knowledge of you and your Word? Would you help us to relate to others in a way that shows them that we belong to you? Lord, would you make your people grow in love for you and others so that onlookers would know that you exist and that you love them too?

A Prayer to Love Others Well - Your Daily Prayer - January 29

The truth is the more we engage with others, the more inevitable conflict becomes. But we have two options when approaching difficult interactions: we can harbor bitterness or show the love of God.

www.crosswalk.com

 

[Geoff-Allen]

Bible Verses to Help Us Love One Another

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonour others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Inspirational Bible verses about love | World Vision UK

Bible verses about love for personal use, in church services, Bible study groups, prayer groups, newsletters, in greetings cards and on social media

www.worldvision.org.uk

All the best!

 

[Geoff-Allen]

End child poverty -

When you consider which countries are fighting child poverty, you may be surprised to know that more than 17 per cent of Australian children fall below the poverty line. Save the Children delivers programs to end child poverty in Australia and overseas. Our evidence-based programs focus on giving children the best start possible to their life by delivering healthcare, education and access to fresh water and nutritious food. To end child poverty we also focus on ensuring children are safe from violence, war and conflict.

How We Work To End Child Poverty​

As a first-world country, it may be surprising to know that many children in Australia experience poverty, hunger, social disadvantage and family violence. Because not everyone experiences a safe home, opportunities and a healthy standard of living, Save the Children delivers child protection and education programs in regional, urban and remote locations throughout Australia.

Ways to End Child Poverty - Save the Children Australia

Learn about the ways to end child poverty and the aid programs we run to combat child hunger and protect them from violence. Donate online today to help.

www.savethechildren.org.au

 

[Geoff-Allen]

Let Me Be A Blessing To Others

We have something to offer others because God has first “blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ” (Eph. 1:3). We are “enriched in every way so that we can be generous on every occasion” (2 Cor. 9:11). We are comforted by God so we in turn “can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God” (2 Cor. 1:3-4).

Be a Blessing to Others - Why and How to Bless Others

Are you a blessing to others? Consider why we should be a blessing to others, ways to bless them, and what happens when we've blessed others.

mintools.com

All the best!

 

[Geoff-Allen]

"Heavenly Father, Accept my request and Grant me knowledge, insight, and correctness to use kindness to eliminate bitterness, bigotry, insensitivity, and all the other disorders that run in the human race. Use me, Guide me, Lord, to adopt Your kindness and to be a stimulus for change. Amen."

 

[Geoff-Allen]

Listen with care to someone’s struggles - turns up quite a few!

How to listen to someone about their mental health - IDONTMIND

Sharing your mental health struggles with another person can be life-changing, but it’s also important to consider who’s on the receiving end of these conversations. Here are a few ways that you can listen effectively and respond with compassion, and you don’t need a psychology degree to do it.

idontmind.com

Cheers!

 

[Geoff-Allen]

“Scrooge was better than his word. He did it all, and infinitely more; and to Tiny Tim, who did not die, he was a second father. He became as good a friend, as good a master, and as good a man, as the good old city knew, or any other good old city, town, or borough, in the good old world.”

Charles Dickens

Loads at that site!

Enjoy your browsing!

 

[Geoff-Allen]

The Buddha Shakyamuni’s Words on Kindness in the Metta Sutta

This is what should be done by one who is skilled in goodness, and who knows the path of peace:

Let them be able and upright, straightforward and gentle in speech.
Humble and not conceited, contented and easily satisfied.
Unburdened with duties and frugal in their ways.
Peaceful and calm, and wise and skillful, not proud and demanding in nature.
Let them not do the slightest thing that the wise would later reprove.
Wishing: In gladness and in safety, may all beings be at ease.
Whatever living beings there may be; whether they are weak or strong, omitting none,
The great or the mighty, medium, short or small,
The seen and the unseen, those living near and far away, those born and to-be-born,
May all beings be at ease!

The Four Immeasurables – Padmasambhava Buddhist Center

www.padmasambhava.org

Cheers!

 

[Geoff-Allen]

From an old favourite -

Challenge yourself to do a good deed every single day. Acts of kindness can help you improve yourself in so many ways. For example, if you find yourself becoming a toxic person, doing kind acts allows you to think about things differently. You’ll spend your days looking for opportunities to help, love, and support people. And doing that kind of good always ripples back in a positive way.

More tips here -

Self Improvement: 25 Ways to Improve Yourself

Life would be pretty dull without self improvement. Learn 25 ways to improve yourself in 2022 by checking out our list.

declutterthemind.com

Cheers!

 

[Geoff-Allen]

When you awake each morning, ask yourself, “What can I do to make someone’s day today?” Then, throughout the day, you’ll find dozens of opportunities to make someone’s life easier, better, or even wow them. Spend your day looking for windows to praise someone. Maybe someone on your team did a good job on the project, send them a kind message about their efforts. Did someone let you in at the drive thru, surprise them by paying for their order. Trust me, people get really excited about that. Did someone just hit a huge life milestone, surprise them with a gift basket to celebrate their special moment. Every now and then, mail people cards wishing them well, include a few jokes, maybe mention what you love most about them. People love thoughtful gestures. The ultimate way to live life to the fullest is to love every single person we meet – especially the most difficult ones.

14 Ways to Live Your Life to The Fullest

If you're tired of the mundane, unfulfilling routine in life, a few small changes can help. Here's how to live your life to the fullest.

declutterthemind.com

Cheers!

 

[Geoff-Allen]

Rick Hanson has some excellent videos over on YouTube!

For example -

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=rick+hanson+kindness

Cheers!

 

[Geoff-Allen]

SUFFERING AND LISTENING

When was the last time you listened to somebody?

I mean, truly listen and not listen only to answer?

When was the last time you felt truly heard?

Also known as compassionate listening, deep listening as defined by my favorite Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh, “is listening only for the purpose of relieving suffering in the other person.”

Suffering is a commonality that exists in all of us, and it is also that invisible thread that connects us all as humans. On a personal scale, suffering resides in all of us, in different magnitude - it just has multiple names.⠀

Fear. Anger. Despair. Loneliness. Anxiety. Resentment.

Read more here -

Why Deep Listening Is The Best Gift You Can Give Someone | Arawme

When we allow deep listening in the conversation, we are also allowing ourselves to listen attentively with compassion and encouraging them to release and unload their distress; their sufferings. Read on to find out why deep listening is the best gift you can give someone and 5 tips to become a bett

www.arawme.com

All the best!