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90 Days of Kindness – Day 35

You know, kindness is a lot like a garden hose.  What?  Did he just say that?  Yep, I did.  After my morning jog today I Waterhosenoticed a garden hose that had a pinch in it.  When I turned the faucet on, there was a pressure build up at the point of the pinch.  This meant very little water came out of the nozzle.

So, what does all this have to do with kindness?  During the past month of doing the kindness challenge, I have noticed that when I am consistently thinking about kindness I am presented with kind deeds to do.  Once done, it seems that others do kind things for me.  It is a natural flow of giving and receiving.  However, when I resist doing a kind deed because I am tired or just don’t feel like it, it is like I am pinching off the natural flow much like that garden hose.  Things just don’t seem to flow like they do when I am doing kind deeds.

Stay in the flow today.  Decide to do at least one kind deed a day for the remainder of the kindness challenge (and beyond if you like).

With peace, gratitude and being pinch-less,

Bill

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90 Days of Kindness – Day 34

When I was thinking about the kindness challenge today my mind would just not stop.  I kept remembering something IMG_1817to do, another task to complete or someone to call.  I realized that I would be doing myself a kind deed by taking time to write down every item on my to do list.  After I did that exercise, I felt instantly better.  It is amazing to me how much energy I was wasting by not getting them down on paper.

Enjoy the picture of tonight’s sunset.  Simply amazing!

Love and gratitude,

Bill

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90 Days of Kindness – Day 33

IMG_1768Today was my first day on the beach and had a lot of time to think about the kindness challenge.  As I read my Daily Positive Points (free subscription) email, it got me thinking.  In case you haven’t subscribed to it, here was the quote of the day:  “If the only tool you have is a hammer, you tend to see every problem as a nail.” Abraham Maslow  (Psychologist, 1908-1970)

So, it got me thinking.  Isn’t kindness just another tool you can claim for yourself?  I have discovered that the more kind acts I do (for others as well as myself), the better positive attitude I have.  That’s a very Sa-WEET trade-off, isn’t it?

Grab your toolbelt and remember, you make the world a better place, one kind act at a time.

Peace and gratitude,

Bill

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90 Days of Kindness – Day 30

Today I was once again thinking about giving and receiving. If you have read any of my earlier posts, you will know that I believe that giving and receiving are one and the same. So, ponder this: When you give, you actually give to yourself.

Peace and gratitude,
Bill

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90 Days of Kindness – Day 29

Today we have been receiving off and on rain showers.  Some of them have been quite strong.  I noticed a number of car crashes while I was out and about today.  Each time I would typically say a prayer for the Ambulance2people involved as well as their families.

I drove a bit to go have lunch with someone today and on my way back there appeared to be a huge crash.  Two firetrucks, an ambulance, and four state troopers.  I immediately started my regular prayer for those in need.  When I arrived at the scene, it was a single car and there were no signs of a crash.  I finished some special thoughts and prayers for that person an their families and then started thinking.  You know, you never know when your time is up.  Imagine if you were having a lousy STINKIN’ day and then have something like this happen. 

No matter how bad you have it, you can bet that there is someone who has it even worse.  So, I say be grateful for all your blessings.  It doesn’t matter how big or small, just be grateful.  When you feel down a bit, do something kind for someone else and watch your energy shift.

With peace and blessings,

Bill

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90 Days of Kindness – Day 26

Today was a day committed to helping others in any way possible.  My son had shoulder surgery and I was grateful to be able to be with him most of the day.  It was nice to be of some help even though it didn’t feel like enough.  I was thinking about negative thinking after they took him back.  I started to get worried that something could go wrong.  As soon as I had that thought, I changed my thinking to seeing him in recovery and then even later with a perfectly healed arm.  It sure made me feel much better at the time.   Turns out that he was in and out of recovery and heading home very quickly after we got the surgeon’s report.

IMG_1007I also had a kind thing done for me today.  My son let me take home his pup, Rooney.  I absolutely love watching over her.  She is my best friend and I am excited to have her with me for the next several days. 

Remember to take some time to do kind deeds today while remembering to give gratitude for everything you have.

With peace and gratitude,

Bill

P.S. She made it into our comic strips and she really, seriously loves to play soccer.  She uses her nose to pop her small soccer ball and then chases after it.

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90 Days of Kindness – Day 25

It has been almost a month since the challenge began and I have had some very interesting experiences.  You may have read about some of them already but here are a couple of things learned this past week.  I struggled a bit in not being able to accomplish big, elaborate kind acts.  As I stated in an earlier post, I started doing lots of small kind acts.  Today I realized that it may seem small to me but it could be HUGE for the recipient of the act. 

Another thing that I realized is that as I did more small kind acts, they became second nature to me.  I recall the other night when I was thinking about my day and the kindness done, I initially thought that I didn’t do any kind deeds.  Then one by one I started recalling all the small acts.  I believe these kind deeds have given me a boost in positive energy.   A nice side-effect!

Peace and gratitude,

Bill

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90 Days of Kindness – Day 22

Well, I haven’t posted in a few days because I was waiting for that huge kind deed to occur.  What I have quickly stanky_1discovered is that no kind deed is too small.  Also, no kind deed is wasted.  For the past week I really do not have any major kind act to report, just lots of small ones.  But you know what?  That is not bad at all.  Typical daily kind deeds for me are things like answering my phone giving a compliment, slowing down to let people merge in front of me on the road, practicing forgiveness, calling family and friends, sending positive emails, etc…

Maybe my next post will have a gigantic kind deed that changed someones life.  But then again, maybe not.  I will, however, continue to live kindness each and every day.

With peace and gratitude,

Bill

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90 Days of Kindness – Day 18

As I was thinking about what to include today for the kindness project, a thought came to me to post some of my favorite kindness quotes.  As I have researched them in the past, I was amazed at how many people believe in the power of kindness.  Here are some of my favorite ones:
“I’ve learned…. That just one person saying to me, ‘You’ve made my day!’ makes my day.” – Andy Rooney

“This is my simple religion. There is no need for temples; no need for complicated philosophy. Our own brain, our own heart is our temple; the philosophy is kindness” – HH The Dalai Lama

“Deeds of kindness are equal in weight to all the commandments.” – The Talmud

“Nothing you do for children is ever wasted. They seem not to notice us, hovering, averting our eyes, and they seldom offer thanks, but what we do for them is never wasted.” – Garrison Keillor

“Kindness is the golden chain by which society is bound together.” – Goethe

“Kindness is a language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see.” – Mark Twain

“The ideals which have lighted my way, and time after time have given me new courage to face life cheerfully have been kindness, beauty, and truth.” – Albert Einstein

…AND MY Personal Favorite! “You cannot do a kindness too soon, for you never know how soon it will be too late.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

Have an incredibly kind day!

Bill

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90 Days of Kindness – Day 14

We are now 14 days into the Kindness Challenge and I am learning a lot more than I thought.  I was thinking about sweetie_1kindness today while walking down a sidewalk.  I looked down and there was a piece of gum sitting right in the middle waiting to go for a ride with someone.  I passed it up but then quickly turned around and picked it up and deposited in a nearby trashcan.  This was a really small kind deed that no one will ever know about. 

Remember, you do not have to look very far to find a kind deed to offer.  It seems interesting to me that every time I am out and thinking of kindness, an opportunity presents itself in minutes.  While on the way back home, I was thinking about kindness and saw a truck wanting to get over.  I slowed way down and waved him over.  He waved back once he was in the lane.  I could go on and on but every kind deed no matter how big or small is truly a gift you give the recipient, yourself and anyone else who witnesses it.

With gratitude,

Bill