On this World Kindness Day, Asa and I double dog dare you to bring back kindness not as a one day event, or even a random act, but as a courtesy of every day life. Acts of kindness that were once considered as having good manners generations ago need to come back into daily practice. So often we rush through life that the little common courtesies get lost. Today we’re not asking you to do grand gestures, but instead start making a conscious effort to bring back these small acts into your daily routine.
They are easy to do! You just need to learn from dogs and be more dog! The following are a few ideas on how to bring back the courtesies of everyday life.
- When you see someone acknowledge them with a smile
- Greet others with a wag, or in humans’ case a friendly wave
- Bark “hello,” and if the situation presents itself, take the time to have a conversation
- Give your undivided attention to those you are with, put the phone and electronic devices away during that time
- When you’re on social media, be mindful of how you respond and react to posts
- Just like you schedule walks with your dog, make time in your routine to spend one on one time with loved ones
- Be present in the moment, and not a hundred steps ahead in your thinking
According to the Oxford Dictionary, kindness is defined as “the quality of being friendly, generous, and considerate.” So starting today let’s all try to do a better job focusing on the friendly and considerate aspect of being kind in our daily life. Who knows, then maybe World Kindness Day will be celebrated every day and not just a hashtag one day a year. It could make a world of difference.
