Kindness Challenge

Yesterday during our lunch break, I casually scrolled through some blog stuff, and that's when I first read Tammy's comment on yesterday's post. 

First of all, let me say that I do read all the comments you guys leave here. (I think I might miss some if they're left later on earlier posts, but I catch most of them, at any rate!) I appreciate ALL the kindness that is shown. My hope and goal for this space is that you'll not only feel uplifted by the words you read in the posts, but also by the words you read from each other. Like Sunday, for instance, I saw one of you praying for another, and I thought that was so kind. 

This season of life is one in which I have to let some little things go in order to make the big pieces spin, so I don't get to comment back like I used to. Please don't think it's because I don't appreciate what you have to say!

All of that to say...Tammy's words yesterday made me stop and think, and that's what has led to today's post. The end of her comment to me said, "How is it that you aren't aging? You look so much younger and happier than ever!"

Well, I am aging. I think the makeup product I'm running through the fastest these days would be concealer. Ha! Part of it is aging, part of it is lack of sleep, and part of it is the job we do, but for the first time EVER in my life, I have actual bags under my eyes. So I'm super grateful for that concealer!

My stylist mentioned recently to just let her know if I decide I want to let the hair color go, because it's pretty much pure white and would look amazing. (I'm not ready.) 

And I'm getting a deluge of emails from AARP and Silver Singles (!?!?!?!) lately. 

So yeah, we're aging, and maybe at double speed right now. I'm not sure. 

But there was something so remarkably uplifting about reading that! Two simple sentences added to a comment on a random blog, and suddenly, I didn't feel so frumpy and creaky. 

It's the same thing my health coach has been encouraging me with over the last few weeks. She's been reminding me that part of being healthy has nothing to do with what you eat or how much you exercise. It has to do with your state of mind - the words you say to yourself and the words you ingest from others. And she's a big proponent of doing random acts of kindness every single day, because those things improve your mind's health, too. 

Those acts of kindness don't have to cost anything at all. She actually prefers it when they don't. A note. A text. A phone call. A kind offering to the person behind you in line!

I tried to do that on Sunday when we were greeters at church. I tried to look women in the eye and tell them something I liked about their hair...their outfit...their coat...whatever. We had icy roads and sidewalks on Sunday, so most of those women walked in gingerly with furrowed brows, focused on not slipping. It was fun to watch their faces relax and smiles appear when they heard something nice about themselves.

We all need it. We all need to be reminded of the good about us, because most of us are probably not likely to remind ourselves.

So my challenge to you today is this: try to say as many nice things to as many people as you can today. Whether these are people you talk to in person, in Zoom meetings, on social media, or in a text, just take the two seconds to encourage! 

And don't stop today. Do it again tomorrow. And the day after that. 

Thanks for your kindness in coming here each day and in the encouraging words you leave me and each other. Now go...find some people to be kind to, and give them a blessing!