Looking forward to a year full of Kindness

Christine Greenwood is an author, health consultant and business entrepreneur, who finds New years time to be a time for reflection of the past year and goal setting for the coming year. She is also a huge believer in reflection of the year past, distilling the wisdom of lessons learned and a big believer in prayerfully setting annual goals for the year to come and practical strategies of how to get there. {2019 – Our Year of Kindness}

One of the goals she likes to set are character goals, things that she would like to concentrate on her life for that year. For 2019 one she wants to share  is Kindness. She writes

I have discovered that every person that I deeply respect and love have has a common attribute. They are Kind. Deeply, consistently, and unapologetically Kind. {2019 – Our Year of Kindness}

Lovely to hear that those people around her have that common attribute. That is not so obvious or normal as many would hope for. Kindness becomes a rare aspect of our materialist world. Not many people are having empathy with others or are willing to show their good heart for them. Kindness is missing in a lot of discussions and talks on the social media. Over-there we can see a lot of ugly words and calling names. The way people talk today says a lot of the wrong going of our society. We have to admit in the so called civilised countries the way they treat people is not always better than in the uncivilised countries.

When Christine Greenwood tries to define kindness, she admits to falter.

If we would know her husband we, according to her, would know that he is gentleness and kindness personified in public. She tells us

I can assure you he is even kinder behind closed doors. It can be mildly infuriating, especially when I am feeling impatient or entitled. {2019 – Our Year of Kindness}

When looking at a person his or her “kindness” we can notice  this in the reflection of the way a person acts and reacts. Often kindness shows up before we have to ask for something.

I feel loved with acts of service. Knowing this he cleans every week till the house shines. Even when I am home from work, or on holidays. He does it as though it is his sole joy. He always takes the clothes out of the dryer and off the line and folds them as I also hate this job. These small things mean the world to me. {2019 – Our Year of Kindness}

And perhaps it is in the many small things that we can discover the pure and real love and kindness. It might be difficult to describe or define, yet kindness is easy to recognise in people around us.

If we all think about kindness a person in our lives will always spring to mind as someone who is innately kind. {2019 – Our Year of Kindness}

Kindness is an underrated quality that Mrs. Greenwood is seeking after in her life.

Before we can be kind to others we should be kind to ourselves. To do so we also have to know ourself and love ourself. Practice ‘Kindness’ to yourself is an essential part for making a good life for yourself but also for the others around you. As such a person has to learn to be kind for when he or she feels tired or sad, give himself or herself permission to stop to feel that there are others who care about him or her. Most important is it when the person comes to see how we have a much Greater Being that cares for us. It is when we start feeling and knowing that we have a  heavenly Father Who knows our heart and Who is close to the broken hearted and loves to comfort us in our grief. {Kindness In 2019 – Continued}

Christine Greenwood promises

I am going to practice Kindness and release myself from a drive to provide for our family and know that God is our provider and I need not strive for with the motivation of financial resource but rather the Kingdom and let God in his Kindness be our Provider.

I will practice Kindness to myself in everything I do, I refuse to compare myself to others. For I am unique and nobody can do what I can do. {Kindness In 2019 – Continued}

We should remember to

Practice Kindness and do not force yourself to do anything that you do not enjoy or that you cannot maintain. Find something that you love to do. That you would do for Fun. Whether it is walking, dancing, running or surfing and make time to do it. For it is being Kind to yourself.  {Kindness In 2019 – Continued}

Big problem in our society of social media is that lots of people want to shine in front of others and dare not to show their real “me”. Many people let their expectations about you known by presenting themselves better than they are or by pushing you should also have this or that, or wear this or that.

Practice Kindness to your body by giving your body permission to be whatever it decides to be and celebrate it. No one else cares about the muffin top over your jeans more than you. No one notices it. You are glorious.

Practice Kindness and wear what makes you feel beautiful and comfortable at the same time. Who cares about what the latest trend is. You dance to the beat of your own drum. No need to conform to anyone around you. Find your own style and flaunt it!   {Kindness In 2019 – Continued}

In all this, what surrounds us, we should place ourself as we want to be ourself. We also should remember that kindness is our greatest commodity and is life changing. Though it’s definition may be hard to profess.

Kindness is in the small things {Kindness – Our Greatest Commodity – A Poem}

Kindness is the outworking of the love one has for an other. It is taking time for the other and showing gratitude. Kindness also shows when a person is willing to show his dedication to the other and willingness for doing the unexpected things to help others or to be there for others, showing the agape love.

Kindness shows also by the way a person communicates with the other and by the way he or she chooses words and speaks with patience and love.

The best way to bring and show kindness is to give out kindness and friendship without expecting something in return. It starts by showing respect, compassion, positivity, and love. Kindness can come around when we treat everyone as we would like to be treated ourselves.

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Preceding

Inspiration to Boost your Karma in the New Year

don’t look at me in that tone of voice!

When remaining angry

High time to show the way to peace

Tunnel under resentment

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Additional reading

1. Created in the image of the Elohim to use their likeness properly
2. Tenderness and kindness are not signs of weakness and despair
3. He who cannot forgive breaks the bridge over which he himself must pass
4. Call to help others
5. The truest greatness lies in being kind
6. Kindness
7. If you want to go far in life
8. Be kinder than necessary
9. Spread love everywhere you go
10. When we love we do not need laws
11. The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands
12. A man who cannot forgive others
13. If there is bitterness in the heart
14. Guard well within yourself that treasure, kindness
15. For attractive lips, speak words of kindness
16. The first on the list of the concerns of the saint
17. Looking for True Spirituality 5 Fruitage of the Spirit
18. The Nazarene master teacher learning people how they should behave
19. Matthew 12:33-37 – The Nazarene’s Commentary: Judgment Day
20. Be sound in mind and be vigilant with a view to prayers
21. Clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience
22. International Day of Happiness!

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