Here are 10 take always from my most recent Podcast on Sobriety Now What? on the topic of Kindness.
I had a conversation with my sister Francesca Donlan who taught Kindness courses at a Florida University. I cut and copied my po from the 57:00 min mark. and thought you would like this. Enjoy!!.
Thank you for joining Francesca and I in this conversation about kindness. Here are 10 quick takeaways to carry with you today and this week. So her are 10 takeaways that stand out for me. I could have put 20.
- It helps build emotional resilience and people want to be around us. We even want to be around ourselves if we’re kinder.
2. Kindness as a coping skill. It helps reduce anxiety. Depression. It boosts mental health. It helps us get outside of ourselves and connect with others.
3. Start with yourself. Self compassion is the foundation. Being kind to yourself allows us to be kind to others. It’s much easier to do that.
4. Kindness heals relationships – Acts of kindness build trust and open doors to deeper connections.
5. Small acts. Big impact. Write a gratitude note, give a compliment, or volunteer. Simple actions with lasting effects. Getting outside of ourselves.
6, the ripple effect. Kindness is contagious. The more we do it, the more we see it, the more we feel it, and the more it comes back to us.
7. Mindful Kindness Be present and authentic. I love Francesca’s rule. Don’t be creepy, dude. And so I think the key is, is just being altruistic, having no wants, right? We’re not asking people for anything. We’re not expecting anything. It’s just, we give it away freely.
8. Break down barriers. Kindness dissolves judgment and creates a safe place to reconnect. It allows them to feel vulnerable and feel safe.
9. Gratitude fuels kindness. Gratitude and kindness go hand in hand. You can write a list or express things. It’s transformative. I kind of think of it. If you think, if you sit around kind of a campfire, you have this campfire and the campfire is going down, you add more wood, the fire goes up.
The wood is gratitude. The fire is kindness. The two work together to create this warmth and connection that we can have with people.
10. make kindness a daily intention. Start each day asking, how can I be kind today to myself, to others, to the world? I’d love that question. How can I be kind today to myself, to others and the world? You will be amazed at what unfolds. I bet miraculous, fun little gifts will be given throughout the day. Just by setting that intention.
To close, here’s a definition of kindness that I really like. So if you’re kind of still wrapping your head around, what exactly is kindness? This is one that I like to kind of fall back on this definition.
So the definition of kindness that resonates deeply with me and reflects the heart of this podcast, this is really what this podcast is about. The foundation of it. Kindness is the quality of being considerate, compassionate, and generous towards others. Oneself. And the world, it’s about showing empathy and goodwill, often through small, intentional gestures that foster connection and positivity at its core, kindness is about recognizing our shared humanity.
And striving to uplift those around us. I love it. It’s recognizing our shared humanity and striving to uplift those around us. I mean, to me, that’s not thriving sobriety. I don’t know what is. I hope today’s episode has sparked something within you, whether it’s a smile, an idea or an action. Remember, kindness isn’t just something we think about.
It’s something we do. It’s something we live. So until next time, my friend, be kind to yourself and the world around you. Keep up the good work. I truly appreciate you and all that you’re doing to do good in the world. Until next time, take care. Stuart
