Challenge Yourself to More Kindness

February Kindness Challenge

Kindness is something that is readily available, usually free, and makes a big impact whenever it’s used. For the year of 2020 I have chosen to use a word each month to guide my focus and heart (read more about that here). February is typically a month that focuses on love and what better way to show love to yourself, your loved ones, the community and the environment then by focusing on acts of kindness.

it’s cool to be kind and it’s free. win-win.

This time last year, my husband, doodle pup, and I had moved across the country from our home in Michigan to our current home in Northwest Arkansas. I remember creating the Kindness Checklist as I sat in our empty house in Michigan and I envisioned what February would bring us. How would acts of kindness feel in a new place that was so far from home? And that’s the beauty of traditions, it allows us to be transported back to a specific time and let us reflect on time that has passed.

I’ve created a list that will focus on four major areas to show kindness—

• Self

• Humans

• Community

• Environment

Self

Unplug, dance, move, light your heart up— what do you need right now? Is it reading a book that you’ve been meaning to read? Getting enough sleep? Putting your phone down? Getting back into the kitchen and cooking a meal you love? Maybe it’s planning an adventure and getting out of your routine. Maybe it’s about getting back into your routine and getting back to the stuff that serves you.

Humans

This part of the checklist is about big and small. Most of the things I dreamed up are free (except for the pay it forward) or cost very little. I really believe there is a wealth of kindness at our finger tips through our actions and words. Kindness can be shown to a stranger or your spouse. Your family or your neighbors. The possibilities are endless.

community

This means the community you live in locally or the broader community of the world. How can you support groups of humans through charities, volunteer work, and public service workers? This section might force us to get outside of our bubbles or get connected more with what’s around us. It might mean enlightening yourself about issues in other communities of the world and figuring out how you can help.

environment

Save the single use plastic this month and make an effort to use reusable bags and containers. If you find yourself using a ziplock bag everyday in your lunch maybe try a tupperware container instead or snag a stasher bag. I rarely rarely rarely ever use plastic bags from the grocery store. I leave sturdy canvas bags in a pretty straw tote in my car so they are always ready for me when I need them. Save wrapping your fruits and vegetables in individual plastic bags and either use smaller canvas bags or snag some reusable produce bags. These are so great and they can go in the wash. My goal in this area is for us to be conscious of what waste we are producing and what areas we can get better. Don’t worry about being perfect, the environment thanks you for any little bit you can do.

As always, think of this list as a jumping off point rather than the end all be all. It’s a place to start and see where we can incorporate these small acts and gestures into the whole year. Let’s try to be kinder every damn day.

You can join along in the challenge by printing off the PDF checklist here or snagging the mobile version here. I’d love to see how you accept the challenge and all the goodness you will accomplish! My favorite part of this challenge is that it encourages us to look inward and outward. We need to make sure we are pouring some kindness into our own hearts while we are pouring kindness into others. What a beautiful little circle of kindness.

Hugs,

Meredith