Stories of Kindness from Around the World

Kindness, The New Stimulus Package


--by BillK, posted Jul 26, 2009

Are you just plain sick of being bombarded by the media with the untold horrors and predictions of our impending doom?  I've heard the words "Stimulus Package" so many times it doesn't even mean anything anymore.

I want to introduce a new kind of stimulus package that doesn't have a thing to do with the government:  Kindness.  What do you think would happen if everyone practiced being kind for just one day?  I sure as heck know.  The world as we know it would be transformed.
 
Impossible?  Consider this:  I organized a Kindness Challenge at a local arts and jazz festival in April.  My goal was to remind people what happens when we practice being kind.  It's a feeling most of us have forgotten.  The challenge was to entice 100 people attending the festival to do 100 kind acts within 100 minutes.  The result amazed everyone involved because when all was said and done, more than 130 people did over 400 kind acts in an hour!  When we truly give kindness from the heart, BINGO, a new kind of stimulus package is born. 

Kindness is contagious.  It starts a ripple effect that has no limits.  Each act of kindness is like dropping a stone into the water.  First, the receiver of the kind act benefits.  That person then gives back a smile, a hug, laughter, or some other positive response.  So the giver also receives.

Then something truly amazing happens.  Any person who simply witnessed the kind act also benefits. In Meaning & Medicine, author Dr Larry Dossey states helping others "can stimulate healthy responses in persons at a distance who may view it only obliquely."  This witness may then be inspired to do a kind deed too, and the ripple effect could never end. 

How can you start a stimulus package in your own world?  3 steps.  First, feel gratitude for all the fine things in your life.  Defy the media and change your perspective.  Choose to see the good, and more of what's good will start to reveal itself to you.  Second, spend as much time as you can doing the things you love.  If you enjoy sitting on the porch and listening to the wind, spend more time doing it.  If you love to listen to your favorite music, do that more often.  Doesn't cost a thing!  Third, practice being kind to yourself and others every single day.  Model kindness and inspire others to do the same.

Change your mind; change the world.

6195 Reads

Readers Comments

sowseed wrote: What an awesome idea!
Andrea wrote: This must be the best thing that i have read in a long time. Please send this to the president.
JeanMarie wrote: This is great! It should be posted on every door, refrigerator, lamp post, etc. Thank you so much for the best advice ever!
Harriet wrote: Kindness is contagious and we can the world.

Thank you
Molly wrote: I like that you gave us the steps to take a moment to be kind. You've inspired me to start a challenge in my circle of friends. Thanks!
BillK wrote: You can watch a video made during the kindness challenge on youtube - http://www. Youtube. Com/watch? V=o3ur2atdlec. It was truly an amazing event and i highly recommend you doing something similar. If you would like more details about how to set one up yourself, just shoot me a quick email.
Gaston wrote: How to request free the new stimulus package?
Sara wrote: Some verses from drop a pebble in the water



 drop an unkind word, or careless: in a minute it is gone;
But there's half-a-hundred ripples circling on and on and on.

They keep spreading, spreading, spreading from the center as they go,
And there is no way to stop them, once you've started them to flow.



 drop an unkind word, or careless: in a minute you forget;
But there's little waves a-flowing, and there's ripples circling yet,
And perhaps in some sad heart a mighty wave of tears you've stirred,
And disturbed a life was happy ere you dropped that unkind word.



 drop a word of cheer and kindness: just a flash and it is gone;
But there's half-a-hundred ripples circling on and on and on,
Bearing hope and joy and comfort on each splashing, dashing wave
Till you wouldn't believe the volume of the one kind word you gave.



 drop a word of cheer and kindness: in a minute you forget;
But there's gladness still a-swelling, and there's joy circling yet,
And you've rolled a wave of comfort whose sweet music can be heard
Over miles and miles of water just by dropping one kind word.


By james w. Foley
Dolores wrote: Using kindness as a business tool we have the happiest engineers and clients and have retained these for 29 years.

Believe me it works.

Helping comes naturally to most human beings.

Blessings.
Brenda kay Winters wrote: The ability to help when there is a true need is a gift from above. How do you tell if it is a need or a want? Ask is this person able to do this by themselves? Many times younger persons do not understand that even opening a door for an elderly person is appreciated because of arthritic pain or physical weakness. Our culture does not always respect its elderly but we need to for they have life experience and can teach us so much and honor thy father and thy mother comes with a promise-that is a long life. Honoring someone means to imitate their best and subdue one's evil inclination. Proverbs say the wealthy do not understand kindness. This is not always true.

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