Issue 106 – December 2021

Be kind and shine a light

“It’s been a tough few years. Shine a light.” – Canadian Forces in the U.S. (@CAFinUS)

Each year, a Twitter account called Canadian Forces in the U.S. (@CAFinUS) asks the public to send cards for those away from their families for the holidays. This year, they asked for something even easier, and this really struck a chord with me:

“Hold a door. Leave a kind note. Lend a hand, an ear. Donate to a food bank. Tweet kindness. It’s been a tough few years. Shine a light.”

It’s been a tough few years all right. Health care workers are exhausted and burned out. Restaurants, small businesses and entire industries are in trouble. Racist, sexist and homophobic attacks have increased. Just when we thought the pandemic might be easing, Omicron is spreading at a frightening speed. Increasingly, people are not just scared but angry and impatient and rude.

Let’s vow to step up and shine a light of kindness in our corner of the world. Here are 54 ideas to be kind to yourself and to others.

1. Be patient; really, really patient.

2. Be generous with compliments.

3. Smile.

4. Expect the best of people.

5. Cut people some slack if they don’t meet your expectations.

6. Cut yourself some slack if you aren’t meeting your expectations.

7. Forgive yourself.

8. Forgive others.

9. Hold off piling on when someone has made a mistake or said something you disagree with.

10. Think twice before making an angry response to anything, especially on social media.

11. Step in and speak up if you hear or see someone being unkind.

12. Ask, “How are you doing?” or “How are you managing?”

13. Listen.

14. Ask, “How can I help?”

15. Offer to babysit or dogsit.

16. Offer to pick up someone’s groceries or prescriptions.

17. Offer to make a meal.

18. Hold the door open for the person behind you.

19. Keep your promises.

20. Say “Good morning.”

21. Say “Please.”

22. Say “Thank you.”

23. Say “I love you.”

24. Say “I’m sorry.”

25. Share what you have with people who have less.

26. Show compassion.

27. Celebrate people’s successes.

28. Celebrate your own achievements.

29. Hang back to let a car merge in front of you in traffic.

30. Wave “thanks” if someone lets you merge.

31. Let someone ahead of you in a checkout line, especially if they’re with small children.

32. Give to your local food bank.

33. Give to local charities that collect gently used coats, hats, socks and other warm clothing in the winter.

34. Give money to panhandlers, no matter how you think they’re going to spend it.

35. Shop your local stores.

36. Support your local restaurants; dine in if you can or get takeout if you can’t.

37. Tip generously.

38. Donate to causes that mean something to you.

39. Try not to judge. (Confession: I am working hard on this one in relation to anti-vaxxers...)

40. Give people the benefit of a doubt.

41. Give credit to the people who helped you in some way, shared your social media post, worked on your project, came up with a brilliant idea.

42. Do the right thing.

43. Be grateful.

44. Volunteer.

45. Help clean up after a meal.

46. Pick up litter in your neighbourhood.

47. Shovel your neighbour’s sidewalk or driveway or help rake their leaves or mow their lawn.

48. Call someone you haven’t talked to for a while.

49. Send “Thank you” cards.

50. Send “I miss you” cards.

51. Give flowers.

52. Pay it forward.

53. Recognize that everyone has some inner pain you may know nothing about.

54. Think before you speak: Is what you’re going to say true? Is it necessary? Is it kind?

As certified coach Eileen Chadnick says in her annual list of questions to get ready for the year ahead:

“We can be there for others in large and small ways and even for those we don’t know...Every moment (even tiny) of compassion and generosity can make a big difference."

In what other ways are you being kind? Please hit "reply" and share. And thank you for your kindness in reading and sharing Wordnerdery. Here’s to a kinder year in 2022.

Related reading:

Stop overthinking a culture of gratitude. Show it instead

Eileen Chadnick asks, “How were you there for others this past year?” and other questions

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