We are all really busy people with daily struggles, with pressure from work, with the need to make ends meet and trying to manage a whole range of issues. It can often mean we rush around without taking a moment to stop and refocus. As we head into the weekend, it is good to remember what is really important to you.
The news is full of heart-breaking stories, sadness and moments of tragedy in people’s lives. It may be that I have just become more attune to the suffering but it really does feel that there is a lot of trauma in the world. If you were not aware, today is Random Acts of Kindness Day. It may feel a bit of a drop in the ocean to focus on being kind in this difficult world.
But when I am training about how to manage a crisis I always encourage people to get the plans in place so that they have time to ‘sweat the small stuff’. It is those little kindnesses, thoughtful gestures and moments of support that will have a huge impact on people who are at the worst moment in their lives. I have seen it first hand. In recent months I have also experienced it. A kind word, a short DM on social media, a quick phone call can make all the difference.
I was a child brought up in the 1980s where my teenage years were at a time when Margaret Thatcher was the Prime Minister and was encouraging the ‘greed is good’ approach. It was a time when people were encouraged to get more and more without ever thinking about other people. It is not a time I want to go back to. Those with loads of money were wafting it around and in front of those who didn’t. And while that has always been the case, it seemed to get a whole lot worse during that decade.
So, as you are going through the day take a moment to stop and consider the impact that you are having on others. What mark are you leaving on today? Can you be a little bit kinder to those around you or who you meet? Those small steps can go a long way and have a big impact.
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