Controversial maybe, but just hear me out…
While researching this blog about World Kindness Day, I spoke to the people around me about what kindness means to them and while I got some great examples, I also got some eye-rolling (mostly teens!) and suggestions that it’s just another one of those ‘fake’ celebratory days.
This made me wonder how we had got to the point where we needed a ‘special’ day to promote kindness.
As I travelled to work on the train I looked around me. There were people of all ages, different nationalities, a real mix of people going about their day. EVERYONE had their eyes on a device or had headphones in (me included!). No one was talking or making eye contact. I was tempted to burst into song to see if anyone would notice!
It made me think how isolating this is for us. Humans are social beings and while many of us are social online, it seems to be to the detriment of in-person connection. That made me consider… Is that what kindness comes down to, connection? While there is value in giving a gift, paying for the coffee of the person behind us in the queue or leaving a sweet note for a work colleague, what if sometimes we were just more present, giving energy to what is around us?
So I set up an experiment. For just 1 day I decided to disconnect from music and podcasts when I was out and about and look for opportunities to connect and therefore hypothetically see if this meant that there were more opportunities to show kindness.
Here is just a snapshot of part of my day and I found there were many simple opportunities for me to show kindness:
- As I entered the train station I said good morning to the staff member standing by the escalator – I received a good morning back
- I smiled at a passenger as I sat down – they looked a little uncomfortable, I think I might have creeped them out a bit!
- Outside a shopping centre I offered to help lift a pram down some steps. This was met with a smile and a thank you
- I said hello when I entered a shop, the assistant looked up and said hello back
- I asked one of the reception staff members at my gym how they were (I normally just hand my card over and rush to my class) and I listened to the answer – as I collected my card when I left I got a “have a great day Vicky”
- I told someone I loved their shoes, they smiled and thanked me
So while my hypothesis was that if I was more present I would be able to spread some kindness, which I hope I did, I also felt true connection and kindness directed back to me too. And wow, it felt really good. Those little moments of gratitude and connection lifted my day. Kindness is all around us, we sometimes just have to be intentional about it.
So, I challenge you, not just today, to look up and connect through kindness to others. I promise you it will be worth it.
Oh, and if you hear someone singing ‘Dancing Queen’ on the MRT or doing a little dance across the road, please know that you are welcome to join in, or not, but either way I do hope it brightens your day!
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