Today (February 17th) is National Random Acts of Kindness Day.
Shouldn’t every day be Random Acts of Kindness day, you might ask? Of course, but it doesn’t do any harm to devote a little attention to the subject.
What is an act of kindness? Is it:
- Offering your seat to a pregnant lady?
- Buying a coffee for the next person in line?
- Dropping a few cans of Progresso off at the food bank?
The answer is yes, and a lot more as well.
From a spiritual point of view, an act of kindness is related to experiences your soul wants to heal.
A simple example is when you’ve had a past life of extreme financial or material deprivation, or where you’ve had a lot of fear around money (usually expressed as greed). Then, giving money or material help to those who need it in this lifetime is a spiritual act.
This spiritual act of kindness not only helps the recipient of your good deed, it also goes a long way towards healing any fear of loss you may be suffering from, and helps balance any related karma, if there is any.
Kindness means different things to different people. It all depends on your soul’s past-life experiences. If you never had anything of value in your last life, a gift in this life will make much more of an impact on you than if you had all your needs met previously.
One of my clients had a teacher who gave her one of those little wooden Russian Matryoshka dolls; the hand-painted wooden nesting dolls with decreasingly smaller dolls inside each one. It meant the world to her, and was especially appreciated after a past life in which she had nothing to her name—one that just happened to be in Russia.
While most people feel good when you offer acknowledgement, regardless of their previous incarnations, if you had a life as an unappreciated servant in your soul’s past, then even the smallest words of appreciation can touch your soul like a warm caress.
Random acts of kindness don’t have to be grandiose to make both you and the recipient feel good. Holding a door open for someone is easy, and makes a person feel noticed and appreciated. And, of course, if you were that unappreciated servant in the past, you’ll feel especially honored.
Which brings me to my Random Acts of Kindness Day Challenge!
At some point before today ends, I encourage you to engage in a random act of kindness. Do something you feel called to do, whether it’s:
- Helping someone cross the street
- Volunteering at your local animal shelter
- Calling a friend you know is in need of support
- Paying the coffee tab for the person behind you in line at the espresso stand
- Donating to a charity
- Reading a book to a lonely senior citizen in nursing home
- Buying a sandwich or slice of pizza for a homeless person
- Or anything else that speaks to you!
There are lots of possibilities, and it’s about doing something kind for someone else without an expectation in return.
When you’re done, come back to this page and scroll down to the comment section below to tell me about what you did. I’ll choose a winner at random, who will receive a signed copy of one of my books. That will be my “almost random” act of kindness to you!
Make sure to post your good deed on this page by Saturday, February 20th at midnight Pacific. I’ll announce the winner in my next newsletter.
Thanks Ainslie, for making me aware of this. A wonderful idea indeed. I usually enjoy RAsOK anyway, and will make a point of offering a special one today (in your honour). Kindest regards!
I look forward to hearing about your random act of kindness, Nana! Kindest regards to you too.
Sorry I didn’t get back to post my special RAOK, but prompted by your current post, Ainslie, I just read those kind acts shared here, and really enjoyed their inspiration.
Mine was something I had planned to to anyway, and your post about RAOK Day, made me aware of it, and I decided it was just the day to do it: I placed an international phone call to a former high-school classmate, who I know has multiple diagnoses of illnesses and I include her and others in my prayers and intentions for improvement as often as I remember.
She was glad to hear from me. Although it can be hard to hear about the conditions, when you feel you can’t do much to directly, literally improve things for the person who is geographically far away, just listening to her and offering some small, positive support or encouragement, was what was within my reach to do, and I know she appreciated hearing from me.
It also occurred to me, why not, in turn, share awareness of RAOK Day on my n’hood’s “Nextdoor” Forum. Here’s what I wrote:
[A friend made me aware of this…interesting and fun!
http://www.nationaldaycalendar.com/natio… Enjoy~~ ]
Curiously, of over several hundred homes, three individuals acknowledged. I knew posting it was ‘chancy’ 🙂 Anyway, three was better than none. 🙂
Thanks again, Ainslie and All — your stories are indeed inspiring.
— NS
Thanks, Nana, for sharing your experience of random acts of kindness, and for the kind words about my stories!
Hi I never new about Random Acts of Kindness Day. Is This real? Funny thing is when I read your headline and noted the date I realized that this is my deceased husband’s birthday. He passed away 5 years ago in less than kind circumstances. I have had a hard time forgiving him and letting go of anger and regrets. He was a rescuer/ hero always needing to help others. Unfortunetly this meant his family had to do without finances needed for basics and his presence helping out on the farm. In return we had to support him for the hero that he was.Twenty Five years of struggle and hardship created a lot of anger in me. This pass winter I have come to total peace and forgivence with him. Yes he was always doing something kind for someone. What a wonder for his birthday to be Random Acts of Kindness Day.
This pass week I forgave and let go of the pursuit of persons who last Friday stole something of >$3000.00 value from me. It was an act of spite and meanness on their part but I chose over the weekend to just bless the situation and move on. I think this is kindness.
I also spent the last four days house watching for a recent X , so that he could go visit a very sick friend out of town.
Kindness comes with letting go of anger. Letting go of anger comes with balancing acceptance of what is and choosing how to stand in my power versus react and control or not.
Thank You Ainslie for helping me to see and understand this.
I’m so glad to have been able to help. Cindy. There’s so much to be said for forgiving and letting go. Nice work! I know it’s not easy.
Hi Ainslie,
As an empath I feel other people’s pain on a daily basis. For me, doing an act of kindness feels especially good as I can feel what the other person is feeling when I do something for them. It’s second nature for me to open doors or do whatever I can to help anyone around me, and I find that it is very contagious. I see more and more acts of kindness everyday.
I don’t have much money, but I found other ways to help. I once shared a bag of my dog’s cookies with a homeless man for his dog. I often stop to talk to homeless people on my way to work, or just say hello as you pass by, it puts a smile on their faces. I gave my phone number to a girl at the grocery store, I felt that she was in need of someone to talk to as her life was falling apart.
It’s amazing how you get so much back from all this. It’s so easy, just giving the stuff you don’t need to charity or give some old blankets to the animal shelter. Making the world a happier place, isn’t that what we are all here to do?
I truly believe that’s the case – to make the world a happier place. Thanks, Diane, for sharing your acts of kindness!
THANK YOU Ainslie ! xo ! 🙂
Thank you!
One of the rice field workers, an older lady, asked me for water one day. I went and got her water and some mandarins I had at home. She lit up like a child on Christmas! She was so happy. 🙂
Since that day, when she is there, I get her lunch when I go to get my own from the local Warung and water when she needs.
I had a problem with one of my neighbors and went to the local Banjar (the head of our community) to see if they could help. While there and older woman comes out from around the corner with a big smile on her face. It was the old woman I had been giving food and water to. It turns out she is the mother of the head of the Banjar 😉
Universal perfection. Always sending love your way Ainslie xoxox thank you
A new friend and neighbor has in the past few months experienced significant personal loss resulting in a breakdown. She is spending the month in Atlanta, GA to be with family and heal. I am giving her round the clock pet care for her two cats who need not only food, water and clean litter boxes but love, cuddles and time too. I’m happy to be of service.
Today, not knowing it to be an Act of Kindness Day, I adopted an 8-year-old cat named Sunny. My hope is Sunny and my other kitty Chloe will eventually bond and share space as did my Harry when he was alive. Since Harry’s departure, Chloe has missed him so I’m hoping another big boy will cheer her up. Although at the moment they’re not seeing eye-to-eye, Sunny is very sweet and I think eventually they’ll be happy to have one another’s company.
It feels good to be of service.
That’s such a spiritual act, Susan. I’m sure Chloe will come around and see that Sunny’s a good guy! I was just talking to my Spirit Guides about being of service making souls feel good inside. I’ll be posting some of their observations on this in the SoulWorld Lounge.
Upon reflecting, yes, I like to share and to help out. I do on a rather constant basis with neighbors, family, friends and social issues. I feel it’s important to contribute our ideas towards helping social issues, because our words may just reach the right heart and soul to make an important point on an issue that is of social concern. At the least, I share my name with various global concerns, usually for animals. However, I do contribute things, help people or donate some relatively modest monies towards various pursuits; today it was towards an astrological conference scholarship to help others attend. Always I receive in return. Though I am careful not to expect, I find that, inevitably, the gratitude exchanged creates a deepening bond with whomever I’m in touch with through that action, including with myself and my awareness of my spiritual process of being.
I’m so glad you brought this subject to light Ainslie, because it gives focus to the relationship I have with life, and with the community and special people close to my heart. The real message this inspires to me, is that every such act of random giving — establishes a connection between hearts and souls — and I’d like to feel that involves the critters of this world also, and the large social groups, besides of course the dear ones we reach out towards on a daily basis.
Which reminds me, one’s spouse is of course a routine recipient of endearments of random kindnesses. I will fill the glass of water as I walks by, or a quick kiss and smile. I find those consistent gifts of kindness really add trust that when we have a difference of opinion or emotional reaction, that we spring back to that center of kindness quicker because we trust the kindness.
Thanks for sharing your insights and experience, Sue. I think it’s good to let go of the expectation and just notice how the positive energy comes back to you. And I love what you say about your spouse. I make mine the recipient of kindness always. And just an hour ago, I went to my sock drawer and found a card with a sweet message from her. Little acts of kindness are spiritually huge!
Ainslie,
I have recommended your books to so many people who I know will appreciate them, but a few of them are on fixed incomes, and have nothing left after paying for the basics and for their medicines. So I bought three copies of “The Instruction” and had them sent to them. This way everyone benefits! (I hope this doesn’t sound sycophantic, because I truly don’t mean it that way. Selfishly, I’m anxious to be able to discuss the book with them.)
Since my day yesterday seemed to meet with multiple obstructions, I came home last night, pulled out my sourdough starter so that I could wake up early to bake this morning, and made fresh homemade sourdough rolls for my neighbors this morning! Better late than never.
Thank you for your encouragement in this endeavor. Kindness is it’s own reward, but it was also kind of you to offer the tribe a “prize” for doing something we do anyway, but not as often as we might.
It’s really funny to see the Spirit Guides’ focus shift along with the kind of thing people are sharing. Acts of service seem to be something they want to talk about. Baking is such a kind act of service. I’d do it too, but I still remember the time I baked a Scottish roll called a softie, and someone said “is this what you Brits call a rock cake?” I really appreciate you spreading the word when it comes to The Instruction!
Send me the “softie” recipe and I’ll give it a try! There’s a zen energy in baking, so the baker is a blessed as the person who enjoys the bread, with the added benefit of the smell of baking bread throughout your entire home….Nirvana!
I don’t know how this happened, but I seem to have become the “go to” person among friends for recommending good books. My recommendations are generally tailored to fit the person who is asking, so I can’t willy nilly recommend your books to everyone, because not everyone would “get it.” However, whenever an old soul is asking, I can whole-heartedly recommend your books!
Btw, How have you noticed the Guide’s shifting their focus? From what to what? And do you believe their focus has shifted because of the general state of the world today, or from any influence the tribe’s contributions might have had?
Here’s a recipe Kate. As you can imagine, if I tried making softies and people asked if they were rock cakes, then I’d really screwed up.
This a recipe for plain white bread rolls. The finished rolls should be light and airy.
Ingredients (makes 16 rolls):
500g/1lb plain white flour
2 teaspoons salt
275ml/10oz warm water
2 teaspoons dried yeast
2 teaspoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons vegetable oil
Method:
Dissolve the yeast and sugar into about half the quantity of warm water in a jug and leave in a warm place with a cloth over the top. The yeast will begin to froth in about ten minutes. The flour should be in a large bowl with the salt added and mixed. The flour should preferably be slightly warm too.
Pour the yeast mixture into the flour and knead, either by hand or with a mixer with a dough hook. Add more water to make the texture so that it does not stick to your hands but is moist. Once it is well kneaded, form it into a ball, cover the bowl with a cloth and leave in a warm place. When the mixture has risen to about double its original size, knead it again until it has returned to its original volume.
The dough can then be divided into 16 and formed into individual balls. Pull the dough from the top to the bottom so that the top looks smooth. Place on lightly oiled oven trays, leaving space between each one, and cover with a cloth. Leave the rolls to rise again in a warm place, for about 30 minutes. Finally, bake in a hot oven, 200C/400F/Gas Mark 6 for about 20 minutes, until brown on top – some people prefer their rolls “lightly fired” while others prefer to bake them for longer and have a more burnt surface.
Good luck!
I heard about a blind woman that lives near to me who had lost her ride to training class to learn to be an EMS dispatcher. So, I volunteered to help. I pick her up in the morning and then give her a ride back home each day, at no charge. I asked her if she had always been blind and she said around the time she turned 40 she caught pneumonia and went in the hospital. She was put on a respirator and when she woke up, she was blind. She had a 4 year old son and somehow her eyes were kind of bugged out and when he came to see her in the hospital and looked at her face he was terrified. Talk about the worst day of your life. After that discussion I became so much more aware of feeling gratitude of everything in my own life.
A powerful lesson in gratitude, indeed, Beverly. I love how you’re helping someone to help others. Karma at work!
Congratulation on winning Ainslie’s contest, Beverly! You deserve it!!! Be blessed.
I had a great RAKD and I’m trying to paste it here and I can’t. I went to a lovely cake shop and took a treat to,some old people aged 91 mad had a cup,of,tea with them. I followed up yesterday by taking them out in my car for an hour. Gotta,go!! Gotta keep packing.
Nice work, Annie. Acts of service and the gift of your time. Now, get packing!