Doing Good Feels Good
In a world where you can be anything…
Kindness Matters
It’s been an unsettling and difficult week for many of us, me included.
I was planning to write about Kindness, as it was Random Acts of Kindness Day recently.
Kindness remains one of the most powerful ways for us to respond to the devastating news from Ukraine.
Kindness to ourselves and kindness to others.
This has been my focus, as I work out how to mindfully respond.
Kindness to ourselves
Kindness to ourselves is key, as without this we cannot sustain ourselves.
And if we don’t sustain ourselves, we are not able to take any positive action.
Kindness to ourselves can take many forms including:
Noticing and naming how we feel.
Giving ourselves permission to feel this way.
Allowing ourselves to seek professional help if we are not doing OK.
Accepting this is a difficult and messy time and just doing our best.
Taking time to do the basics right to keep us healthy.
You know the stuff - getting enough sleep, exercise and eating healthily…
Noticing what triggers difficult emotions for us…
…and setting boundaries so we can manage our exposure to these triggers in a healthy way.
Manage our time digesting news and social media so we can stay informed without becoming overwhelmed.
People differ but key things that may help include:
Setting a limit on how long you check the news for.
Limiting screen time before bed.
Using more ‘analogue’ ways to keep up to date - I have found the radio and even reading an actual paper (!) helpful at times.
Kindness to others
We know that doing good for others feels good for us, as well as them.
It develops our connections to each other and this strengthens our communities, which we can see this week at home and aboard alongside the news of the invasion.
Helping others can help us tackle that feeling of helplessness too.
Focussing on what we can control, instead of what is out of our control can reduce feelings of stress.
In that vein, like many others, I have donated some time and money to support the Ukraine.
Suggestions on where to help are everywhere now, I went to this link to help me choose.
Explore More
A great read on the science of kindness from Action for Happiness.
Get in touch!
Drop me a line to share your act(s) of kindness, or to discuss coaching or workshops – as this feels like a time when we all need to be supporting each other, more than ever.
…and limited availability for Thrive Workshops - book your space before Easter!
And here’s this week’s quote
“No act of kindness, however small, is ever wasted.” - Aesop
I’d love to know your thoughts! Send me an email - I’m on theworkingwellexperience@gmail.com
