The Happiness Project: 365 days of Kindness, Respect and Humility

I started a Facebook page called "The Happiness Project: 365 days of Kindness, Respect and Humility".  The idea came to me as a response to the horrific violence and death at Sandy Hook elementary school.  Watching the news coverage invoked in me a feeling of helplessness. A feeling that many of us with compassionate hearts feel when something like this occurs and we feel the urge to "do something."  I saw that we were being flooded with challenges to do 26 random acts of kindness and I thought that was something I'd like to try.  I don't have money to send, but I do have prayer, empathy and compassion that I can use to make my community better.

My idea was to find my personal joy by seeing, hearing and doing acts of kindness, respect and humility.  These don't have to be gigantic gestures.  This is for those of us with limited means or physical limitations.  Why those three words?  Because I think we have a pandemic of selfishness, apathy and plain old rude behavior in our world AND I believe that if we all practice these three ideas everyday that the world WILL be a better place.  

Kindness is the act or the state of being kind, being marked by good and charitable behavior, pleasant disposition, and concern for others. It is known as a virtue, and recognized as a value in many cultures and religions.  Research has shown that acts of kindness benefit receivers of the kind act, but also the giver.  Ideas of small acts of kindness: pick up trash when you go out walking, open the door for someone, simply SMILE at the next stranger you pass.  Kindness is simple: pass it on.

Respect literally means "to look again.  Just when you're ready to pass judgement on someone, take another look at that person.  Certainly there's something great about this person.  When you're so busy judging, you get tunnel vision and don't see the whole person.  Yes- you may have to get very creative, but keep digging.  You'll find something great.

Humility may be the most difficult to grasp.  For me, humility means admitting I'm far from perfect and eager to learn about other cultures, lifestyles, religions, traditions and be able to see the good in people.  Humility means remembering that the world doesn't revolve around you.  

The only "rule" about my page is no bragging.  Yes, please share your act of kindness, but be humble.  It's not a competition.

I'm kind of sad that my page isn't getting much attention.  Sad that people are missing an opportunity to enrich the life of someone else.  A few months ago, I started my "Daily Joy" journal.  I have to make and effort to find joy, because most days aren't that great for me.  My moment of daily joy is usually quite simple.  Today my joy was knowing Daisy was having a great time hiking with Hannah.  That sweet dog doesn't get walked very much.

One of my favorite quotes wraps this all up nicely:

“People are often unreasonable and self-centered. Forgive them anyway.

If you are kind, people may accuse you of ulterior motives. Be kind anyway. 

If you are honest, people may cheat you. Be honest anyway.

If you find happiness, people may be jealous. Be happy anyway.

The good you do today may be forgotten tomorrow. Do good anyway.

Give the world the best you have and it may never be enough. Give your best anyway. 

For you see, in the end, it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway.” 

― Mother Teresa

1. list)