Kindness is contagious. Observing and learning about people doing kind acts for others has the power to give us the desire to replicate those positive behaviors. 

Joseph Ferrari, professor of psychology at DePaul University, says, "If we saw more positive stories in the media, it might spur a trend of compassion." He goes on to say, "If we had people reading about random acts of kindness [more often], it would spread, and people would help more people."

So what are you waiting for, start spreading kindness with these five acts: 

1. Surprise your family.  Make a delicious treat for your family and present it uniquely. 
   
   
2. Be a book fairy. Leave a kids picture book on a bench at the park and write a note inside that says, "this book is a gift, hope you enjoy it. - signed Book Fairy." 
   
   
3. Feed the birds. Grab some bread or bird seeds, head to a park where you know the birds hang out and feed them. Observe how grateful the birds are for the food. 
   
   
4. Say hello. Say hello to EVERYONE you pass in the hallways at school and on the playground. 
   
   
5. Make a new friend. Invite someone new to play with on the playground. Or for older kids, ask someone new to sit with you at lunch. 
   
   

Until next time... be thoughtful, be present, be kind. 

Taking a little time for yourself restores and re-energizes you. It allows you to think more clearly, make better decisions, and build your self-esteem.

PsychCentral defines Self-care as "any activity that we do deliberately to take care of our mental, emotional, and physical health. ... Good self-care is key to improved mood and reduced anxiety. It's also key to a good relationship with oneself and others."

This week we have three easy fun and delicious self-kindness acts for you to do! They are so easy in fact, you can do them every day this week, or anytime you need a mood boost!

1. Ask for a hug! Ask someone you know for a "real" hug! Research has found holding a hug for 20 seconds has lasting effects on the human mind. 
2. Take a hot shower! A hot shower is therapeutic for the body and soul. Muscle tension loosens in warm water, and your mind feels a sense of security.
3. Eat Chocolate! Yes, you have permission to eat chocolate - you're welcome! Dark chocolate is a natural antidepressant, and it produces a calming and soothing effect on the brain. 
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Until next time... be present, be thoughtful, be kind. 

Scientific studies are now showing when we devote ourselves to others by being kind, thoughtful, empathetic, and understanding, rather than focusing predominantly on ourselves, we will make lasting changes to our well-being. 

Dr. Karyn Hall asserts in her article on The Importance of Kindness that "Being kind can strengthen your relationships and a sense of satisfaction in life." 

There are many benefits to doing acts of kindness; here is a list of ten:

• Reduces anxiety 
• Produces a contagious smile
• Remedy for the heart  
• Decreases stress
• Gives you the gift of choice
• Builds new friendships
• Creates lasting bonds
• Creates a kind identity 
• Brings people together 
• It comes back to you - karma 
  
  

So what are you waiting for, do these five acts of kindness this week, and improve your mental well-being!

1. Clean up after dinner. One night this week, clear all the dishes from the table, put the dishes in the dishwasher, and wash all the pans.
2. Say thanks to your trash collectors. Make a big thank you sign and tape it to your trash can, recycle bin, and green waste can. 
3. Bring cookies to your custodian. Bake a fresh batch of cookies and bring them to your custodian. 
4. Write kind messages. Using chalk write kind messages on the walkways at your school or in your community. 
5. Donate your old clothes. Clean out your closet and donate your old clothes and shoes to your community shelter. 
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Until next time... be thoughtful, be present, be kind. 

Step 1: Open with a video 
Show your students the age-appropriate video about empathy. We suggest you show the elementary video link to ALL grades K-12 before showing the age-appropriate video. Why? The elementary video is easy to understand.  

• Elementary School Video 
• Middle School Video 
• High School Video 

Step 2: Read stories 
Print off all three stories that we adapted from Character Education:​ ​

For younger grades, have a parent volunteer or teacher read the stories to the class. For older grades, ask for three student volunteers to read each story to the class. If your classroom has the capability, you could project the stories.

Step 3: Discuss the empathy formula 
Write  Dr. Riess' empathy formula on the board.  
E = eye contact 
M = movement 
P = posture 
A = affect or expressed emotions 
T = tone of voice 
H = hearing the whole person without judgment 
Y = your response 

You can do this discussion as a whole group or pair students into smaller groups. Discuss how the empathy formula is unfolding in each of the stories. Ask the students to come up with specific examples from each story. For instance, in the story "Puppies For Sale," the last line - “With tears in his eyes, the farmer reached down and picked up the little pup.”

Step 4: Brainstorm real issues 
As a class brainstorm and write out a list of struggles that people might be going through; this can be a family pet that has just passed, a grandparent who is sick, a bad grade in class, someone who is struggling with a particular friendship, being stressed out about an exam, etc.

Step 5: Give a message of kindness 
Ask your students (and yourself) to get out a piece of paper. Have them to write down a name of someone they know who has been struggling or maybe just needs a little kindness done for them. Invite your students to write a note or draw a picture for the person they wrote down. Then ask your students to give his or her message of kindness to that person as soon as it is possible.

Share your stories, pictures, and thoughts with us! #ichoose2bekind 

Taking strategic breaks throughout your day can refresh your brain and help you find solutions to difficult problems. 
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According to Psychology Today, breaks improve emotional health, prevent decision fatigue, restores motivation, increases productivity and creativity, strengthens memory, and enhances learning. 

Do these three acts of self-kindness this week; they will provide you with mini-mental breaks that will keep you moving forward. 

1. Take a 5-minute mental break. Even a five-minute mental break can help calm your nervous system and relax your mind. 
   
   
2. Put on some comfy clothes! Put your body in a relaxing mood by getting into some comfortable clothes after work or school.
   
   
3. Get some animal therapy! Go to your local animal shelter and hang out with the animals for a couple of hours. 
   
   

Until next time... be thoughtful, be present, be kind! 

Kindness is an effective way to increase the feeling of belonging and has the power to change a community. When we perform acts of kindness, we promote a sense of gratitude for our own lives and compassion for others.

Tom Tait previous Mayor of Anaheim, California, believes kindness can heal our cities. Mayor Tait, says kindness is an action word, and he called his community to get off the couch and do something kind. Mayor Tait believes kindness "can change a family, a neighborhood, a school, a city, a nation, and ultimately, our world." 

Kindness can positively connect us. According to Psychology Today, "When you feel connected with others, you lessen alienation, and you enhance the sense that we are more similar than dissimilar in our experiences. Feeling connected melds us together rather than divides us."

We invite you to increase your sense of belonging and create a stronger community through kindness. Do these five acts of kindness this week!

1. Leave Kind Notes in Books. Write little messages encouraging young readers — tuck the notes in books at your school's library or a public library. 
   
   
2. Caring is Sharing Candy Bags. Make simple snack bags filled with your favorite candy. Print this template "caring is sharing" and cut out the strips of paper. Place "caring is sharing" paper strips in the bags of candy. Pass out your bag of candy to random people at your school or workplace.
   
   
3. Let Someone Go Before You. Invite the person in line behind you to go in front of you. At school, you can do this for the bus line, the lunch line, recess line, water fountain line, etc. In everyday life, you can let someone go in front of you at the grocery store, getting on an airplane, at a coffee shop, while driving, etc. 
   
   
4. Send a Postcard. Say hello to an old friend, teacher, sibling, grandparent, former neighbor, by mailing them a postcard. 
   
   
5. Help Someone in Need. Everyone can use a little help sometimes. Ask a teacher, coworker, neighbor, friend, or a random person if you can help them. You could offer to wash windows, wipe down classroom desks, help mow the lawn, take garbage cans to the street, etc. 

We'd love to hear how you and your students are doing with your weekly kindness challenges. You can let us know by commenting on this blog post or share on social media using #iChoose2BeKind.​

Until next time...be present, be thoughtful, be kind. 

You know you are practicing self-kindness when you can recognize the difference between making a bad decision and being a bad person. You understand that your worth is unconditional. 

Self-compassion is critical for healthy self-esteem and resilience. According to Ravi Shah, an assistant professor of psychiatry at Columbia University Medical Center, "There is a lot of discussions today about narcissism and its problems, but we do want people to have some healthy narcissism." 

Psychology Today states, healthy narcissism gives a "stable sense of self when things don't go well in life, whether it's a bad day, a loss in competition, or the loss of a job. If we lose our sense of self-worth during these challenges of life, we will have a hard time recovering."

The doctors are saying it is good for you to practice self-kindness! So what are you waiting for, do these three acts of self-kindness this week and see how amazing you can feel. 

1. Read an Inspiring Quote! Grab a 3x3 index card and write down this quote, "A flower doesn't think of competing with the flower next to it, it just blooms." Place it by your bedside, every day this week, read it when you wake up and right before you go to sleep at night. 
   
   
2. Smile Until Your Face Hurts! You can do this anywhere, driving to and from school, while taking a shower, while sitting in traffic, etc. Trust us, you will feel happier when you do it. 
   
   
3. Do Something Spontaneous and Fun! Here are some fun ideas: 

• • Run through the sprinklers
  • Turn on some music and dance
  • Throw a party for no reason
  • Lay in the grass and look at the night sky
  • Take a drive on a country road
  • Sing your favorite song as loud as you can
    
    

Until next time, be present, be thoughtful, be kind. 

According to Patty O'Grady, Ph.D., an expert in the area of neuroscience, emotional learning, and positive psychology with an emphasis on the educational arena, experiencing acts of kindness can change the brain of children and adolescents.  

Dr. Patty O'Grady says, "Children and adolescents do not learn kindness by only thinking about it and talking about it. Kindness is best learned by feeling it so that they can reproduce it. Kindness is an emotion that students feel, and empathy is a strength that they share."

Studies show students who actively participate in performing acts of kindness are: 

• Happier
• Liked more by peers
• Are less stressed
• Have high self-esteem
• Have a better sense of belonging
• Are more grateful
• Have an overall better mental wellbeing 
  
  

How cool is that! No wonder people say kindness has the power to change the world. We challenge you to do these five acts of kindness this week!

1. Start School Lollipop Day! Invite others to join you in giving out kindness lollipops one day this week. Buy a big bag of lollipops, print the "gift for you" template 1 and template 2, attach the note to your lollipops and pass them out! 
   
   
2. Don't Worry; Be Happy! Spread some happiness this week by saying, "Good Morning!" to 15 people.
   
   
3. Inspire Others with Words! Post inspiring words all over your school or classroom. Use poster paper and hang it on the walls and classroom doors. Use washable paint to write on classroom windows. Use sidewalk chalk on the playground or on walkways. Post sticky notes on lockers and bathroom mirrors. Make sure to get permission and be sure to help with clean-up. You can use this positive words list to help you. 
   
   
4. Open the Door With a Smile! Go out of your way to open the door for ten people this week. Try to find someone who looks like they can use an extra hand. 
   
   
5. Play the Kind Name Game. The name game has been around for ages. Here is what you do, write a person's name on a slip of paper. For example, J O Y and then write kind words or sentences that start with each letter. Check out this example. 
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Until next time... be present, be thoughtful, and be kind.  

Happy Friday and welcome to October! A new season is upon us, the air is crisp, and the leaves are changing. In a survey, 45.6% of people identified Fall as their favorite season. How about you? What is your favorite season? Tell us by posting a comment on our blog or using the #ichoose2bekind on social media. 

Here is your recap of the week of September 30 - October 06:
Five Acts of Kindness. Are you a Go-Giver of Kindness? How did your acts of kindness go this week? What book did you give away? We'll bet someone really enjoyed the morning latte you gave away this week. 

Blog Post: Be a Go-Giver of Kindness 

Kind News. Sometimes it is hard to believe there is good in the world. If you are feeling that way today, read these three stories, and you will have a change of heart. 

1. The school janitor shows kindness in an unexpected way. This story will inspire you to look for simple ways to help those in need. Janitor Curls Up Next to Student with Autism During Lunch.
2. Officer helps a homeless man to shave. This police officer is leading from the heart and showing others how to be kind. Officer Helps Homeless Man Struggling to Shave. 
3. Stranger helps calm a child. This story will remind you there is goodness in the world. Subway Officer Spent 20 Minutes Calming Boy with Autism.

Self-Kindness. Dustin Wax from Lifehack says, "When we write something down, research suggests that as far as our brain is concerned, it's as if we were doing that thing. Writing seems to act as a kind of mini-rehearsal for doing." 

Blog Post: Benefits of Hand-Writing Your Self-Kindness

​Kindness in Action. Post your pictures using #iChoose2BeKind or #KindnessInAction, and we will post them to our blog & social media channels!