Kindness is out there...

I don't know about you, but there are days when I just can't watch the news because it seems all they ever report on are all the bad things happening in the world. I'm not suggesting that we tune out the bad, those things come with life. And in fact, if we want to change those things, we have to first know what they are. But, I also think that if we spend some time looking at the good out there, look at examples of how we can live by the two rules - be kind and be happy - then living that way becomes easier, it becomes second nature, it becomes normal!

As I begin my own mission to live by these two rules, I wanted to look out there and see who else is doing this, who else is living a life of kindness, who else is living a life in pursuit of happiness. Here are few I found:

Lifevest Inside:
www.lifevestinside.com
Finding this organization makes me feel so validated...I am not alone in the idea that kindess can change the world! Their vision statement kind of says it all: By living kindly and believing in the inherent good of each individual, change is POSSIBLE! Check out this flash mob they organized recently in Times Square.

Good Samaritan's Kindness Repaid
http://heraldnet.com/article/20121114/NEWS01/711149910/1050/COMM0611

Some people just do what is right without even thinking about it. Imagine stopping to help someone who has been in a horrible accident, only to return to your own vehicle to find someone has stolen the money you just took out of the bank to pay your rent? But then imagine the overwhelming joy you'd feel when the kindness of friends and complete strangers help to make it right again. Put kindness out into the world, and it will come back to you in ways you never could have imagined.









Small Kindess Blogsplash
http://www.writingourwayhome.com/2012/11/what-small-kindness-do-you-remember.html

Small acts of kindness can have such a huge impact, even if you don't realize it. Think about times in the past when someone has shown you a little bit of kindness. How did it change your day? Your life?

Kindness is contagious, so won't you join in and share how someone showed you some small kindness? These folks are sponsoring a blogsplash on November 27th, and you can get all the details by visiting the event page on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/events/226720897457793/







Kindness Works
http://lumbertribe.wordpress.com/2012/11/18/kindness-works/

One more I wanted to share, it illustrates in a very clear how simply being kind has an impact. I haven't read Colin Powell's book, but after reading this excerpt, it's on my list of must reads.






I'll sign off with my goals for living by the two rules today:

1. I'll be kind to myself by remembering to do my time on the rower tonight. I've made too many excuses, it's time to start taking better care of myself. I'll be kind to others by focusing today on my volunteer work with the Military Spouse Business Association. We've got a new free military business directory coming out and I want to get it finished so folks can start using it!

2. I'll find happiness in finishing up that directory and spending time with my entire family...this will be the first night we are able to all sit down and share a meal together in almost a week!

What are you going to do today? How will you be kind? How will you find happiness?