KINDNESS - The most underrated impact of all

I’ve been sitting on this blog for months, and now I know why. Living in the global pandemic we find ourselves in, I have been torn in half, a million times more. Torn between the fortune we have living in Australia, yet watching the hurt Victoria has been through. To then living every day giving absolutely everything I have to keep a business alive, and to the helplessness I feel when it comes to supporting my friends on the other side of the world. What we have experienced here in Australia has made us stronger and we have the opportunity to create that, however, there are people in other parts of the world suffering, these people are my friends and these friends are compromised. Last week I was brought to tears with the helplessness I felt. The emotions could be described as; sick in the gut, sad, upset and hurting. My mind spun with thoughts, ideas and scenarios about what I could do to help. Surely I could do something...but what? I am not in a lucrative financial position, I can’t jump on a plane and be there, I don’t have all the answers and the issues are far more complex than I know. The worst thing I could do in this situation would be to do nothing. Sitting with the thoughts and emotion for an evening I came to the conclusion that there are a few things in my control and taking ACTION on those things is ‘something’. 1. I communicated to my friends for my birthday this year that I did not want gifts but if they felt compelled to give, then they could make a donation on my behalf to the organisations in Cambodia & Tanzania that I support. 2. I can still communicate with these friends. Check-in regularly, be there to empathise and offer support in words and gifs through messenger 3. I can respect the lessons my friends have taught me and integrate them into my everyday life. One of the most recent lessons I’ve taken is the act and power of kindness.

So, this is my story of kindness and why in 2020 I have made it my mission to treat people with kindness. My kindness story starts back in November, 2019. Each year for 'work' I have the privilege of leading a group of school graduates on an immersion to Siem Reap, Cambodia (we should be there right now but COVID had other plans). Siem Reap is rich in both culture and kindness. If you were to use the measurement of tangible items, the Khmer people do not have a lot; some would say they have nothing. Yet what they hold in character is immeasurable. They share kindness and gratitude, they are so willing to learn, are prepared to serve and pursue bold dreams. If you are someone lucky enough to live in a western world, these bold dreams are dreams that convert to what we class as human rights. It is often said that ‘the people whom have the least can teach us the most’. I believe this to be true.

In November last year, a young woman (maybe 18 years of age) and I met at the hotel I was staying in. She (let’s call her Sapphire) - Sapphire was spending her life studying full-time and working full-time, in actual fact these were her commitments 24/7, seven days a week. She was supporting not only herself, but her family too. This kind, generous and hardworking Khmer gave me a gift. I will repeat that, this young woman that has nothing, gave me, someone who would be considered to have everything, a gift. In our world often to build rapport or interact with someone you might compliment them on something. I attempt to comment more on people’s character than their appearance but unfortunately appearance does blurt out of my mouth more frequently than I would like. On a balmy afternoon by the hotel pool I bumped into Sapphire, I fell into my comfortable rapport building technique and commented on her earrings. As I admired their colour and shape, Sapphire grabbed them from her ears and offered them to me. Embarrassingly I attempted to apologise and tell her that it was not my intention and I was just commenting on the pretty gems she wore. After our conversation circled between me kindly refusing the offer and her graciously insisting I accept, I walked away with a puzzling mind, wearing new purple gems in my ears.

Perhaps the earrings really didn’t mean anything to her but the gesture of kindness meant the world to me. On reflection it may have been a complete misunderstanding between our different cultural norms, but either way it taught me a lesson I am carrying with me twelve months later; one I hope will stay with me forever more.

Kindness comes from a sense of empathy; a willingness to care for others and to think of others.

It is often said when you look for something you will find it – the power of attraction comes into play. Through this horrid pandemic I am extremely grateful kindness came into my life in November last year.

During 2020 I made a commitment to be kind. To do selfless acts that serve others and make them smile. As it turns out 2020, is the year the world needs these acts more than ever.

The funny thing is, now that I have put these small acts of kindness into my everyday routine, I witness more of them than ever before. Not just completed by myself but by so many others.

The acts I have seen and acts I have received are countless. Notes on my desk with chocolate, letters in the mail, surprise dinners for special occasions.

There is a ‘Kindness Pandemic Facebook Page’ that I follow (if you aren’t following the page – get on these good news stories). Back in July an unnamed person in a low socio-economic area of Melbourne made 350 masks and hung them on the fence, offering them for free to those that may not have the means to purchase them for themselves. This month the page featured; people handing keys over to caravans and boats for others to enjoy holidays after losing their jobs, people putting cards in letterboxes of neighbours gardens that bring them joy, a young boy putting on a dinner suit and sitting on the porch of an elderly woman that loves music and offering her a concert once a week. Taking a scroll just then I had to fight back tears of goodness.

Since commence this kindness quest in 2020, I have discovered so much more.

What you focus on you, will find!

Where you place your energy, the results will come.

Small acts of kindness promote more acts of kindness. Paying it forward works and means a lot to a lot of people. Trust me I received those earrings and haven’t stopped offering more and have received so much in turn. (Thank you Mika for replacing those beautiful earrings that I gave away that day!)

Doing something kind doesn’t have to cost you money.

There are opportunities for kindness all around you. From holding the door for someone, sending an email to a business when you receive good service, posting a handwritten letter to someone to make them smile.

Acts of kindness could quite possibly be the most underrated impact of all.

Be Kind.

Promote Kind. Accept Kind.

We can't change the world but we can change the world for one person. A random act of kindness has that power.

With LOVE from Bel x