The Kindness Game
As we were walking into a local restaurant, (we almost never go out to eat without traveling, so this was a “treat” for the kids) I heard one kid say “thanks a lot” sarcastically, and I turned around to see them hitting each other. With fists. Faces were not off limits. My jaw dropped behind my KN95 and my angry eyebrows were in full effect.
“That’s it!” I said. And we walked right back out and drove straight home and ate leftovers. Que sad trombone.
One day they were being kind.
Stress. I’m building a life around learning to feel and deal with stress. Breathing. Movement. Energy. Calm. But, stress. My husband calls glitter “the STD of the craft world.” And I would add, stress is the cockroach, glitter, rubber ball, Trump of the real world. No matter how much you want it to go away, it keeps showing up.
What do we do?
We make up a game, of course! Why? Because we LOVE games! In fact, we make so much of life a guessing game…
“Guess how much these groceries cost- DON’T look at the register!”
“Guess who I ran into at the store?”
“Guess what time it is but don’t look.”
“Guess what I’m making tonight for dinner?
We just love games.
Enter: The Kindness Game.
But first, why?
As the Mayo Clinic Health System states, “Kindness means harboring a spirit of helpfulness, as well as being generous and considerate, and doing so without expecting anything in return. Kindness is a quality of being. The act of being kind often is simple, free, positive and healthy.”
And kindness has many benefits, such as:
Increasing self-esteem
Increasing compassion and empathy
Decreasing anxiety and stress
Improvement in mood and relationships
And I bet kindness decreases the number of restaurant exits before sitting down to order!
Here is how you play the Kindness Game:
Take these ideas, write or type them out on pieces of paper. Feel free to add your own ideas to the list as well. Put the paper in a jar on the counter, and each person gets to pick one out each day for you to do individually or as a family.
That’s it! Super simple. Label it the “Kindness Jar” and decide who gets to pick when and what time of day you’ll pick. Figure out other ways you can make it fun, like with surprises or ringing the doorbell and dropping your gift and running to hide. Or add something really public like giving out something useful at a parking lot where lots of people see you. Maybe even dress up in costumes to do your acts of kindness… FUN!
Here are the ideas (and don’t forget to add your own!)
Bring a gift or treat to a neighbor
Share your successes with each other and everyone applause
Visit a nursing home and listen to residents’ stories
Bring healthy treats to school or work
Clean up together
Donate to a non-profit
Bring treats to your local police or firefighters
Do someone else’s chores
Leave a BIG tip for a server
Call and check in on your older relatives
Donate your hair to Locks of Love
Write an encouraging note to someone
Donate old clothes and toys
Leave a kind note in a library book
Plant a garden
Sneak money into formula containers at the store with a note of kindness
Help someone do something you’re good at
Give a treat or thank you note to your delivery driver
Let someone check out of the grocery before you
Help without being asked
Hold the door
Sit still and wait for an idea of kindness to act on
Invite someone to sit with you at lunch
Clean up someone else’s yard
Get to know the new person at school or work
Journal your thoughts and feelings
Give compliments to friends and strangers
Offer to babysit for free
Offer to get mail or pet-sit when someone travels
Get groceries for someone in need
Leave a kind note for a family member
Greet people everywhere you go (and smile!)
Organize a charity drive
Plant a tree
Send letters or treats to military personnel
Put your phone away and listen with intent when someone is speaking
Serve someone breakfast in bed
Talk out goals and encourage each other in them
Bring a meal to someone sick
Share and take turns
Shop local
Say “please” and “thank you” often
Invite a friend to do something
Take a class and learn
Send a note to someone saying why you love/like them
Stand up to bullying
Tell your boss/teacher about a good thing your co-worker/classmate did
Take a bubble bath
Walk/bike instead of drive
Have a dance party
Tell the manager when you got great service
Write your teacher(s) a thank you note
Bring someone a meal
Use reusable items ONLY all day
Tape money to a vending machine
Put coins in parking meters
Write a letter to someone who had a positive impact on you
Let’s find ways to be more kind. To each other AND to ourselves. Kindness always finds its way back to you. You reap what you sow. What goes around comes around. Karma. Law of attraction. What you appreciate appreciates. How would you say that kindness multiplies?
There are many ways to say it, but the Dalai Lama said it well, “Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible.”
