Making Our World Kind, One Day at a Time
Published Monday, April 5, 2021
Making Our World Kind, One Day at a Time
By Samantha Morris, Prevention and Screening Clinical Services
Our community is full of inspiring people who generously dedicate their time to making it a welcoming and inclusive place to live. As Aesop once said, “No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.” Regardless of the magnitude of our actions, every time we give back to our community, we are enhancing the lives of everyone and fostering a positive environment for future generations.
During this unprecedented time, it is no surprise that these acts of kindness may have been “put on the back burner” while more pressing matters have taken priority in our life. There are now additional barriers to navigate that may make it more difficult to give back in ways that we were able to before the pandemic. It is important to recognize how we can continue to perform acts of kindness without compromising the health and safety of ourselves and others. In turn, by doing these acts, we can improve our emotional well-being by reducing levels of stress and anxiety.
Helping others and giving back makes us feel good, and when we feel good, we want to be better people. Through acts of kindness such as volunteering, joining a committee, or saying thank you to someone for their service, we can connect with others, transform our community, and ultimately change the world for the better. By taking the time to give back, we can make our world more kind, one day at a time.
Try one of these random acts of kindness to brighten someone’s day:
- Help out a neighbour: While you are out working on your own yard or shoveling snow, consider helping your neighbour do the same.
- Pay it forward: Paying for the person behind you in a drive-thru or buying coffee for your co-workers can set off a chain reaction of kindness.
- Hold the door: At a safe distance, holding the door is a simple yet polite and thoughtful act. It can also reduce contact touching with the door, keeping everyone safe. Those around you will appreciate your good manners.
- Give out compliments: Make a point to compliment someone, it costs nothing to you and could make the person’s day. Compliments do not always have to be given in person. Even when sending a short email to your co-worker on how well they presented their project the other day, your kindness can go a long way.
- Let someone cut in line: If you notice someone is in a rush or has fewer items than you, offer to let them go ahead of you in line. The extra couple minutes it takes to let them go ahead can truly be all the difference to making that person’s day.
- Leave a positive note: Writing a few words of encouragement on a sticky note and leaving it in a public space or on a co-worker’s desk can be motivational and helpful for building a positive environment. Check out careforthee.com for inspiration.
- Say THANK YOU: Now more than ever, a simple thank you can make all the difference. By taking the time to acknowledge the hard work of your grocery clerk, banker, mechanic, dentist, bus driver, or any other person who helps you throughout the day, you can validate their efforts and make them feel good about what they are doing in our community.
Volunteer Feature:
“There is no better feeling than riding on an open road on a beautiful sunny day" says Steve Kranyak (Volunteer). Being able to jump on his motorcycle for a ride with the sun shining, the beautiful sights around him, and the fresh air helps Steve to recharge for the day and clear his mind. With so much beauty to see in Thunder Bay, the back roads give Steve a relaxing yet energizing feeling every time. When Steve's not out riding his motorcycle, you will see him exploring our community on his bicycle. With so much to see all year long in Thunder Bay, Steve keeps himself recharged and refreshed for every new adventure.