World Kindness Day 2024
November 13 is World Kindness Day, and is the result of humanitarian minds coming together in 1997 to make a “Declaration of Kindness”. On this day, everyone is encouraged to make a personal declaration of kindness by doing something to help someone. We often associate kindness with acts of charity or volunteerism, and these are wonderful ways to make the world a better place. However, the small things we do are just as important, making impacts that we may never even see. Many times, throughout my life, my entire day was made better by something as simple as a smile or an engaging chat with a stranger. Choosing to act kindly toward others helps exposes our common humanity, unifying us as human beings in a constant struggle with life.
Here are some ideas on how to celebrate World Kindness Day. And remember, the ultimate goal is to live our lives this way so that every day is World Kindness Day.
- Help an elderly neighbor carry groceries
- Be friendly and say thank you to the cashier at the grocery store
- Look people in the eyes, smile and say hello
- Pay for someone’s meal or coffee in the fast food drive-thru
- Buy a meal for a police officer or firefighter if you see them in a restaurant
- Give change to the person short on cash in the check-out lane
- Buy groceries for a struggling family
- Take homemade baked goods to your local fire or police station
- Take a meal to a busy mom and her family
- Offer to babysit for your neighbors so they can go out on a date
- Donate clothing to a local shelter
- Donate books to the local library
- Compliment people on their smile, their attitude or how they have a positive impact on your life
- Let people know they are appreciated
- Sacrifice a weekly latte and put the money in a jar to save to help a needy person
- Be kind to yourself, speak kindly in your mind, self-acceptance leads to self-compassion
Showing kindness to others has some amazing benefits.
By focusing on other people rather than our own problems and daily stress, we automatically eliminate some of those negative feelings and start to feel better. Therefore, being kind is a win-win for everyone involved. Take some time today (and everyday) to be kind to other people and above all, yourself. The list is really unlimited as to ways to do this. Use your imagination and you will be surprised at what you come up with.
As you read this short blog, you may have noticed some uncomfortable feelings. If you are feeling sick and tired of working on being kind to others or yourself, counseling can help! At Lifeologie Counseling in Raleigh and Durham, our counselors are trained to help you reduce negative self-talk, manage feelings of anger, increase self-compassion and live in the moment, finding more peace and joy! Reach out to us at (919) 900-7552 or find a Lifeologie therapist near you on our locations page.
About Elizabeth Grady
Elizabeth “Liz” Grady is a Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor and Clinical Supervisor (LCMHCS), a Nationally Certified Counselor (NCC), a Certified Clinical Trauma Professional (CCTP) and a Board Certified Tele-Mental Health (BC-TMH) Counselor. She earned her MA in Counseling and her PhD in Counselor Education from North Carolina State University. She has advanced training in Eye-Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Motivational Interviewing (MI), and Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT). She specializes in stress management, school/employment, relationships, and past and present life experiences, including childhood maltreatment and trauma. She sees adolescents, adults, and families at Lifeologie Counseling Raleigh.
Meet Me
