Tag Archives: kindness

In a Giving Mood? Donate Your Things. Change Lives!

With a pending move ahead of us, we are forced to take stock of everything in our apartment. Since we are downsizing, we know we have to get rid of some stuff, but its also great motivation to get rid of the stuff we don’t use or need. We’ve used online classifieds to sell of some items, but as we get closer to our move-out date, we’ve been wondering what we’ll do with the stuff we can’t… until we discovered The Giving Effect. Although a curbside drop-off at the local donation center is pretty convenient, using The Giving Effect gives the donor more of a choice regarding where the items go and they can see the impact of their donations. At the same time, its an opportunity to help local and national non-profits and civic-minded people that are struggling to get basic items to people in their communities. So, are you in a giving mood?

Don’t Wait to Be a Hero

Don’t wait til you make your first million to make a difference in somebody’s life.  If you have something to give, give it now. Serve food to a food kitchen, clean up a neighborhood park, be a mentor. Not every day is going to offer us a chance to save somebody’s life, but every day offers us an opportunity to affect one.

It’s funny, we had a different post ready to go this morning until I stumbled upon this TED talk. Not only does it have an inspiring and motivational message, a reminder that every bit counts, but it also ties in nicely with One Day Without Shoes, which is today.
By the simple act of taking off your shoes today, you will help raise awareness of the impact a pair of shoes can have on a child’s life and affect the lives of millions of children around the world.

How will you affect somebody’s life today?

Random Acts of Niceness

No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.

—Aesop, Greek fabulist

Never underestimate the impact of a single act of kindness. Back in 2008, a small gesture by a stranger inspired Melissa Morris Ivone to remind all of us that “a little NICE goes a long way” by sharing wonderful reader-submitted stories of random acts of kindness on her blog Operation NICE. Kindness is contagious and if every one of us was a little bit nicer to the people we encounter each day, perhaps the world would be a much better place.

A Lost Roll of Film and Found Friendships

Todd Bieber was skiing in Brooklyn’s Prospect Park and found an undeveloped roll of film. He developed it and reached out to people via the Internet to help him track down the photographer. Watch this video for the amazing conclusion to this inspiring story.

Our Hearts Go Out to the People of Japan

When we wish and seek to help others, our attitude is more positive and relationships become easier. We are less afraid and have less anxiety. Otherwise we remain shy and hesitant, and feel the need to take a thousand precautions before we approach people. When our intentions are good, we have greater self-confidence and are stronger. This is how we learn to understand how precious and valuable kindness is.

— Dalai Lama