- Beyond Blue Forums
- Caring for myself and others
- Staying well
- Random Acts of Kindness during difficult times...
- Subscribe to RSS Feed
- Mark Topic as New
- Mark Topic as Read
- Pin this Topic for Current User
- Follow
- Printer Friendly Page
Random Acts of Kindness during difficult times...
- Mark as New
- Follow Post
- Mute
- Subscribe to RSS Feed
- Permalink
- Report Post
Hello everyone
Today is a new day with new possibilities.
Sometimes we feel so overwhelmed with our own issues and the crises around us that we may forget how powerful it can be for ourselves and others to say or do one kind thing...
Kindness is love in action and our world is hurting.
I've observed the change in people around me. Previous acts of kindness, were met with a smile and a thankyou but now... the reactions have changed. People are almost crying, saying thankyou with such relief. These responses hit me yesterday.
I'm not a social worker but I do live and work in my community. I think about a kindness someone did for me all day, maybe for weeks and longer. When I do a simple thing for others I FEEL GOOD.
We CAN make a difference.
You can make a difference to someone today with a simple act, starting with yourself. Your actions can be planned but also taken on an impulse.
A text asking how someone is doing? Or telling them you care about them.
Offering to take an elderly person's trolley back to the bay or a parent's trolley back for them.
Leaving a flower on a neighbour's letterbox.
Asking the Supermarket worker how they're doing today.
Thanking a Police Officer or Ambulance worker when you see them.
Dropping a note into a person's letterbox when you know they live alone.
Reacting with kindness.
Kindness starts with being kind to ourselves. Please share a lovely thing you did for YOURSELF or somebody else.
ANY THING is lovely to read about and can cheer a person up all day. 😃
Yesterday I saw a young mum struggling with her baby and shopping and trolley. The baby was crying. The empty trolley began to roll away. I stopped it and asked if I could take it back for her. She said "THANK YOU!" and said it four more times as I walked away and back. Then I saw her smiling and crying driving her car past me. She waved and I gave her a thumbs up. The darling girl, who knows what she's going through...
Love to you today
EM
- Mark as New
- Follow Post
- Mute
- Subscribe to RSS Feed
- Permalink
- Report Post
Hi EM,
Lovely idea for a thread. I've similarly noticed the greater emotional weight of small acts of kindness in public, particularly between strangers. I think it just provides that moment of fellow feeling and connection that we're all really missing right now.
A few days ago an old friend from uni messaged me that her mum died very unexpectedly, and she is left alone to deal with the funeral preparations and financial affairs. She's in the UK so I can't do too much directly, but I've been making sure to to talk to her every day, checking in with how things are progressing with the solicitor and how she's coping emotionally, but also trying to keep it lighter by talking to her about films we both enjoy. Next time I go out I will set an intention to do a RAK in public!
Best,
Gems
- Mark as New
- Follow Post
- Mute
- Subscribe to RSS Feed
- Permalink
- Report Post
One time I saw a homeless man rummaging through a bin to find something to eat.
I walked up to him and handed him some money.
Everyone should be able to eat.
- Mark as New
- Follow Post
- Mute
- Subscribe to RSS Feed
- Permalink
- Report Post
Hi ecomama
Love this thread, very needed right now for sure.
I did a kind thing for myself when I read in the morning sunlight today.
Someone dropped off a goodie basket for me yesterday night to help cure the lockdown/covid blues!
I did a kind thing by helping out one of my students with their yr12 things beyond our usual lesson time... schoolkids (younger and older) need our support now too alongside our amazing essential/medical workers!
Sending kindness to you all,
Tay100
- Mark as New
- Follow Post
- Mute
- Subscribe to RSS Feed
- Permalink
- Report Post
Hi EM
Today I visited my doctors surgery for a blood test. Ahead of me was a couple about 70yo and the lady had an appointment, her husband was just accompanying her. The server asked if they have been to Melbourne. “YesI have- only to the Epworth hospital”.
”I’m sorry I can’t allow you to enter the waiting room, can you please leave the building” the server directed (due to covid)
The man stood stunned. Then said “this is ridiculous, very inconvenient and I’m sick of it.” In an angry voice
I couldn’t help myself. “It isn’t the lady’s fault now are you going to leave”? Then a lady behind me in her eighties said “have you lost a family member from covid”?
The man left in a huff.
Later the server thanked me.
It felt good. I told her I don’t like bullies!
TonyWK
- Mark as New
- Follow Post
- Mute
- Subscribe to RSS Feed
- Permalink
- Report Post
I went bushwalking with my husband fairly close to home. Most of the time there was no one else until we arrived at the lookout point where a few people arrived from different routes. Each person was wearing masks & each person stood back to allow the people who'd arrived first to enjoy the view before taking their turn. Someone offered to take a photo of us with the view in the background.
It was lovely to be around people who all followed the recommendations & rules to stop the spread of the virus but doing it in a kind considerate friendly manner. This attitude was contagious with each person responding in the way they were treated.
- Mark as New
- Follow Post
- Mute
- Subscribe to RSS Feed
- Permalink
- Report Post
Hi everyone, it's so nice to read your posts and see our beautiful (and brave lol) BB community giving and receiving gifts of kindness to ourselves and others... it really warms my heart. 💚🧡💜💙
Gems... you're such a kind friend. It's a difficult time to lose a loved one and with the state of things happening, this is made far more difficult. From thousands of klms across the seas you've held a steady and gentle connection and I'm sure you're easing the pain for your friend during her grief. How beautiful.
monkey_magic... it's heartbreaking to see this 😥 ... what a beautiful act of kindness giving a person money for food... our Church delivers free and very low cost food packages to anyone... it's hard to hear someone say they can't get to food distribution places or soup kitchens because they have no transport, now with covid and the sick or elderly, we need to bring it to the table big time for those suffering... I know that my children and I could have very well been in this situation... it's a wake up call to me when I see homeless people. I always do same and Bless the money as I don't speak and shove it in their pocket or backpack. You're so sweet and right, no one should go hungry.
Tay100... a lovely array of kindnesses shared! Our youth and young ones are being very much left out of the picture of those suffering... my teenagers are buckling under the pressure of being hyper vigilant to avoid any elderly people.. working so many shifts... trying to study... and the growing anxiety within their generation that it's THEM who will be paying for this for us for decades.... they are all completely OVER compliant with health recommendations. Indeed they must be remembered & supported. My triplets turn 18 soon... we're planning 3 separate OUTSIDE birthday parties over 3 weekends lol with the generations separated... if we are allowed to by then. Their friend is 18 today and was only allowed to have my boys as guests and only in their cabin, since his parents are both hospital workers... too risky. Nothing like MY 18th when I hired a hall and had 150 people... I can't share this with them all.. So nice to hear how you are supporting our youth. Love this.
Please share more whenever you can. Some things are so simple yet more meaningful and powerful than we ever realise...
Love EM
- Mark as New
- Follow Post
- Mute
- Subscribe to RSS Feed
- Permalink
- Report Post
Hi ecomama
Thanks for sharing that- I hope your triplets get the (safe!) celebration they deserve! Indeed, there is a lot of anxiety about what we will have to deal with in the future. This is why we must advocate for change, education, and self-care!
- Mark as New
- Follow Post
- Mute
- Subscribe to RSS Feed
- Permalink
- Report Post
Tay100
I agree 100%.
Today I bought 7 kids a slushie on the way home from school, not quite a random act of kindness lol. But I told them all that one day I will look back at this time with them all and wish I could have just one more day with them in my car drinking slushies after school.
I will wish that. I already miss them and they haven't even left.
EM
- Mark as New
- Follow Post
- Mute
- Subscribe to RSS Feed
- Permalink
- Report Post
I am a big believer in kindness and gratitude.
It's something that i acknowledge I need to have a greater focus on.
I once was queueing up at the petrol station and the man in front of me decided to pay for an elderly lady's petrol at the same time.
She never found out who the man was but I had great admiration for this act.
The fact this person didn't want any recognition shows the incredibly nature he had.
We could all take a leaf out of his book