Kindness is Small Ways You Nourish the People Around You

A few times, in this new world of technology, I’m embarrassed to admit that I’ve caught myself immersed in my phone when I should have been acknowledging a clerk or the person ringing up my groceries. I think about that, and I put my phone aside these days—even, sometimes, leaving it at home so I can be more present in my life.

The inquiry on the blog today is: In what small ways can you nourish the people around you?

Do you check in with how your partner is feeling? Do you, as we suggest in “Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff in Love,” ask for dream updates? Do you check in with your friends and co-workers about their lives in an effort to connect more deeply?

Often your moments of joy happen when you bring sunshine to others. It could be a humorous moment shared when you can laugh at the paradox of life with another. Or a subtle caring gesture. Perhaps a random act of kindness to a stranger. Or opening your heart to reveal something vulnerable in conversation that deepens your connection with another.

If there’s one way to live inspired, it is to care for the world around you asking not “What’s next for me?” but rather, “How can I serve we?”

To live inspired is to inspire those around you, and inspiration is fed by your activities and the quality of your thoughts on a daily basis.

Kindness in small ways can be life changing

Here are a few small “Don’t sweat” ways to feed your spirit, become more present in joy, and engage more deeply to nourish others:

Listen with your eyes and an open heart. Inspiring conversations are a game changer. Look in the eyes of the person you are speaking to and ask them, “how is your heart today?”
Get off to a peaceful start with an early morning ritual that promotes peace in your actions throughout your day so that you feel more connected to your compassion.
Listen to music you love—and dance!
Read inspiring things to feel more positive energy and seed positive thoughts.
Write and journal your feelings of gratitude as a practice.
Be gentle with yourself so that you will be gentle with others.
Choose kindness even in conflict.
Let the small stuff go without making mole hills into mountains of drama with family members–especially, over the holidays.
Enjoy exercise daily; the physical activity promotes an attitude of optimism.
Meditate often to quiet the mind so that inspiration can be noticed and fed with silence.
Allow yourself to have a good cry now and then–or a good laugh– to cleanse your emotional residue.
Turn your phone off, sometimes. Get off your social media and connect socially—the old-fashioned way–face to face or by phone call.
Write a heartfelt letter or email every day to someone–even if it is a line or two.
When you are feeling insecure, invite your doubter to the party. (She may even laugh with you.)
Forgive and let go when you feel like you are “doing it” wrong. You won’t be as hard on others when you stop being hard on yourself.
Finally, give yourself the gift of expecting less and having more by being present to what is and being grateful for the good stuff.

Rediscovering your passion and joy to live your most vibrant life yet can be as simple as making your life less about “me” and more about “we.” Change the question from “What’s next for me?” to “How can I serve others a good helping of inspiration by living inspired?”