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hanami
Senior Contributor

Join us for KIND JULY!

❤️ This month is Kind July! ❤️

 

“In a world where you can be anything, be kind.”

 

 

                          hanami_0-1656553191796.jpeg

 

 

I will always remember when I was quite mentally unwell, and I had to take things hour by hour, as looking ahead even to the next day seemed impossible. One way I learned to get through the day was to do one little act of kindness. I remembered seeing a documentary about happiness where they had people with depression to go out and perform an act of kindness to see if it improved their mood. It did, with participants saying they were surprised at how good they felt afterward.

 

Some of the things I did to get me through was smile and chat to random people in queues at the grocery store, and wave to a couple of elderly neighbours when I went for my morning walk. One day I stopped and spoke to an elderly lady that I would see each morning. She would always yell out to me that she loved my dog, so I walked over and let her have a little pat of her. She told me I had made her day and it filled my heart for the day!

 

Kind July is about doing an act of kindness every day of the month. You can read more about how Kind July started on the website www.staykind.org. They say, “We’re on a mission to promote the prevention of harm to youth and the wider community from bullying, hazing, violence, self-harm, and suicide, by inspiring every Australian to actively engage in simple daily acts of kindness.”

 

You can register for Kind July on their website where you can see how they encourage kindness in various settings such as at work, at home, online, and at school. You can collect points for each act of kindness you do and the website will tally them for you so you can check in on your progress.

 

Not only does being kind make people feel good, but it’s also actually good for your health. Studies have shown it decreases anxiety, stress, depression, blood pressure, and pain. And it increases happiness, pleasure, and the feel-good chemicals serotonin and oxytocin. You can read more about that here.

 

We want to encourage everyone to share how they plan to do a little act (or many little acts) of kindness this month. Or you can share how you’ve been kind in the past and made someone’s day, or how someone has been kind to you and made your day! To help inspire you have a read of these easy ways you can show kindness https://www.signupgenius.com/groups/random-acts-of-kindness-ideas.cfm 

 

Happy Kindness Month!

 

8 REPLIES 8

Re: Join us for KIND JULY!

Thanks @hanami 

 

This looks good! I'll mention it to my therapy group on Monday 🙂

Re: Join us for KIND JULY!

Hey @StuF 

 

It would be a great challenge for a group! 

 

Have fun 😍

Re: Join us for KIND JULY!

 Thank you so much for sharing this post @hanami - such a wonderful reminder of the powerful of simple acts of kindness, both in building connections and also reminding us of what is good in the world. 

 

I remember once when I was driving home with my baby (at the time) in the back seat of my car and I suddenly heard a strange noise- it was a nail in my back tyre. I pulled over and was trying to call the NRMA and comfort my screaming baby in the back seat at the same time, when a total stranger walked past and insisted on changing my tyre for me. Totally restored my faith in humanity on a really tough day, and I've never forgotten it! @StuF  would love to hear how you go with any acts of kindness this month! 

Re: Join us for KIND JULY!

I love that story @GrevilleaBlooms. A similar thing happened to me when I ran out of petrol. Someone stopped and offered to help. Shouldn't have let it go so low but it was an older car with an unreliable petrol gauge and I gave it the benefit of the doubt. I was super grateful someone helped me 😀

Re: Join us for KIND JULY!

Hi @hanami,

Thanks for posting such an uplifting and positive piece. Kindness is such an easy and inexpensive way to brighten up someone's day. I wish people would do it more often.

Your post remind me of a time I was at the grocery store with my two year old. I had 10 minutes to get through the checkout and pickup my other two children from school.  All the checkouts had long queues except one - there was only one person in that queue but the guy was big, muscly, covered in tattoos, piercings, and looked like he had a bone to pick with the world. I didn't have a choice as I was in such a rush so I jumped in that queue put my shopping on the conveyor belt and then, unbeknown to me, my shopping went through with his (I was distracted by my two year old). I kept apologising and he just smiled and said `no worries love - it's my shout'. He paid for my shopping that day (even though I insisted he didn't need to) and wished me a nice day. Not only did his random act of kindness really touch my heart it reminded me never to judge a book by it's cover! I don't remember the cost of the shopping but I will always remember his kindness and his genuine smile 🙂

Maybe next year instead of having a kind month we should have a kind year!

Best wishes,

FloatingFeather

Re: Join us for KIND JULY!

Oh @FloatingFeather , that gave me goosebumps! I've been guilty of this too when I was at the library and a heavily tattooed dude in bikie gear walked in. Judged him right away but was in the line and he was in front of me and he insisted I go in front as I had my two boys in a pram who were getting restless. He was just lovely! 

A kindness year sounds like a great idea !!! 

 

😍😍😍

Re: Join us for KIND JULY!

@hanami @FloatingFeather @GrevilleaBlooms 

Great stories peoples! Thanks for sharing 🙂

 

I must admit I have no notable acts of kindness to report yet, and I forgot to bring it up at group today!

Plenty of the month to go though, right?

Re: Join us for KIND JULY!

Hey there forumites! We are a couple of weeks into Kind July and I'm wondering how your little acts of kindness are going. What kind of little acts have you carried out or has someone done something kind for you?

 

Looking forward to hearing about any ideas ❤️

 

@Snowie @NatureLover  @jem80 @Aniela @Shaz51 @AussieRecharger @ShiningStar @outlander 

@HenryX @Judi9877 @Zoe7 @wellwellwellnez @Eve7 @maddison @Boo13 @pinklollipop15  @CrazyChick@Hams @Faith-and-Hope @BPDSurvivor 

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