New Year's Resolution: A Group Effort
Remember I made a post awhile back about my New Year's Resolution plans? Here they are!
So, I never make New Year's Resolutions. Never really saw the point. I mean, I have faults, to be sure, and plenty of them, but making a promise to to work on them just because I have to change my calender never seemed very sincere to me. But, I've been thinking a lot about improving the world lately, and I've come to the conclusion that, though I am one small person, there is something I can do.
Each year for Lent, instead of encouraging us to give up things (gum, candy, smoking, whatever), our priests would make a point of encouraging us to DO things (volunteer, pray more, pay more attention to family, etc.). I always saw this as a much more constructive way of approaching the concept of sacrifice. So, that's what I'm encouraging this year!
My challenge to everybody is not to go out and save the world or save a life or anything like that; it's to do something very small.
RANDOM ACTS OF KINDNESS
If you were ever an itty-bitty Girl Scout, like me, you will remember this tradition well. Random Acts of Kindness were HUGE when I was a part of it, and I'm sure they still are. Being a Catholic, I also think of this as "The Little Way" of St. Therese of Lisieux, but in no way do you have to practice a particular religion (or any religion for that matter) to practice being a good person. =)
A Random Act of Kindness is exactly what it sounds like - doing something kind for someone else. It doesn't have to be something huge, it doesn't even have to take up that much of your time or energy! Even the littlest things can make a big difference.
Just pick one random act of kindness that will become not so random to you. Make it a habit, as second-nature as taking care of your own self.
My "thing" (as my roommate can attest to) is pushing in carts from the parking lot. You've all had it happen - you find an excellent spot to park in a crowded lot and you think 'YES! I am so clever to have found this space!', and then you go to park in it and your pride is smashed. Your space is occupied. By a fucking cart. Why? Because someone was too lazy to walk 20 feet to the cart return space and put it back. You are deeply enraged. You can't get out and move the cart because there are already 5 people waiting behind you, and that woman in the minivan looks like she's about to take out her son's new bee-bee gun and test it out on you. Ouch. So you sigh morosely and go park a half a mile away.
Having been both a former retail worker who has had to push these carts in after a very long day at work, and the person who can't park in their God given space because of someone else's laziness, I cannot stand to leave carts in the parking lot. If I see an abandoned one? I push it in. Two, three? Push those in? When it hits four, I usually have to ask Kat to help me, lol. But she does it, which is why I heart her.
No, you will probably never meet the people you help. Yes, they could be total jerks. Yes, they could be those people who cut you off on the freeway and rear-end you and flip you off. But they could also be those people who have children in the hospital dying, or people just waiting for life to give them a break, or people who needed that one little kindness to keep them from going overboard.
Examples of Random Acts of Kindness:
-- Pick up fallen items in retail stores.
-- Get rid of that loose change you hate - give expired parking meters an extra ten minutes or so.
-- See some not completely disgusting trash laying near a trash can? Go on, put it in there. Bonus points if it's gross. Extra bonus points if it's not near a can and you pick it up anyway.
-- In line at the drive-thru? Pay for the person behind you (if you can spare the cash, of course).
-- Leftover food from restaurants can be a great meal for someone who doesn't have anything to eat. But a word of caution: Depending on your situation, this can be dangerous - make sure you are careful when approaching strangers (of ANY kind, not just less fortunate people), and it's better to practice this one with a buddy and a cell phone (and possibly your WOC).
-- Pedestrians - I know you have the right of way, but you don't have to use it. Long line of cars? Step away from the corner and turn your back to the intersection so they'll know you're not going, then walk when you're not so much of a bother. =)
-- If you can, clean up spills. I'm not talkin' vomit or suspicious liquids here, but maybe a melted ice cube.
-- See someone struggling with items in a store? Offer to get them a basket.
Examples of Things That Are More Just Proper Manners, But Can Be A Good Starting Point:
-- Hold the door open for others. Yes, every time.
-- You learned "Please" and "Thank you" when you were very little. Use them. Yes, every time, even if it seems redundant (the "But it's their job" excuse is deplorable).
-- Clean up after yourself, even at fast food restaurants. Crumbs? No. Scoop them up and put them on your plate.
-- Someone drop something close to you? Help them out.
-- If you like to spit your gum out where other people can step on it, please stop it.
And, of course, you can come up with your own! There are hundreds of things you can do that make other peoples' lives easier, and you don't have to plan it out in advance - if you see someone in need, help out. Every little thing you do has the potential to make someone's day.
Here are some amazing websites that you can also take a look at:
~ The Random Acts of Kindness Foundation
~ The Foundation for A Better Life - My new favorite (completely G-rated) website
If anybody decides to participate, I'd love to know about it! Leave me a comment, do whatever you like, and remember, the resolution to be a better person doesn't have to start on January 1 - it can start whenever you make the commitment! Just pick one and make it a habit, and we'll work together!
So, I never make New Year's Resolutions. Never really saw the point. I mean, I have faults, to be sure, and plenty of them, but making a promise to to work on them just because I have to change my calender never seemed very sincere to me. But, I've been thinking a lot about improving the world lately, and I've come to the conclusion that, though I am one small person, there is something I can do.
Each year for Lent, instead of encouraging us to give up things (gum, candy, smoking, whatever), our priests would make a point of encouraging us to DO things (volunteer, pray more, pay more attention to family, etc.). I always saw this as a much more constructive way of approaching the concept of sacrifice. So, that's what I'm encouraging this year!
My challenge to everybody is not to go out and save the world or save a life or anything like that; it's to do something very small.
RANDOM ACTS OF KINDNESS
If you were ever an itty-bitty Girl Scout, like me, you will remember this tradition well. Random Acts of Kindness were HUGE when I was a part of it, and I'm sure they still are. Being a Catholic, I also think of this as "The Little Way" of St. Therese of Lisieux, but in no way do you have to practice a particular religion (or any religion for that matter) to practice being a good person. =)
A Random Act of Kindness is exactly what it sounds like - doing something kind for someone else. It doesn't have to be something huge, it doesn't even have to take up that much of your time or energy! Even the littlest things can make a big difference.
Just pick one random act of kindness that will become not so random to you. Make it a habit, as second-nature as taking care of your own self.
My "thing" (as my roommate can attest to) is pushing in carts from the parking lot. You've all had it happen - you find an excellent spot to park in a crowded lot and you think 'YES! I am so clever to have found this space!', and then you go to park in it and your pride is smashed. Your space is occupied. By a fucking cart. Why? Because someone was too lazy to walk 20 feet to the cart return space and put it back. You are deeply enraged. You can't get out and move the cart because there are already 5 people waiting behind you, and that woman in the minivan looks like she's about to take out her son's new bee-bee gun and test it out on you. Ouch. So you sigh morosely and go park a half a mile away.
Having been both a former retail worker who has had to push these carts in after a very long day at work, and the person who can't park in their God given space because of someone else's laziness, I cannot stand to leave carts in the parking lot. If I see an abandoned one? I push it in. Two, three? Push those in? When it hits four, I usually have to ask Kat to help me, lol. But she does it, which is why I heart her.
No, you will probably never meet the people you help. Yes, they could be total jerks. Yes, they could be those people who cut you off on the freeway and rear-end you and flip you off. But they could also be those people who have children in the hospital dying, or people just waiting for life to give them a break, or people who needed that one little kindness to keep them from going overboard.
Examples of Random Acts of Kindness:
-- Pick up fallen items in retail stores.
-- Get rid of that loose change you hate - give expired parking meters an extra ten minutes or so.
-- See some not completely disgusting trash laying near a trash can? Go on, put it in there. Bonus points if it's gross. Extra bonus points if it's not near a can and you pick it up anyway.
-- In line at the drive-thru? Pay for the person behind you (if you can spare the cash, of course).
-- Leftover food from restaurants can be a great meal for someone who doesn't have anything to eat. But a word of caution: Depending on your situation, this can be dangerous - make sure you are careful when approaching strangers (of ANY kind, not just less fortunate people), and it's better to practice this one with a buddy and a cell phone (and possibly your WOC).
-- Pedestrians - I know you have the right of way, but you don't have to use it. Long line of cars? Step away from the corner and turn your back to the intersection so they'll know you're not going, then walk when you're not so much of a bother. =)
-- If you can, clean up spills. I'm not talkin' vomit or suspicious liquids here, but maybe a melted ice cube.
-- See someone struggling with items in a store? Offer to get them a basket.
Examples of Things That Are More Just Proper Manners, But Can Be A Good Starting Point:
-- Hold the door open for others. Yes, every time.
-- You learned "Please" and "Thank you" when you were very little. Use them. Yes, every time, even if it seems redundant (the "But it's their job" excuse is deplorable).
-- Clean up after yourself, even at fast food restaurants. Crumbs? No. Scoop them up and put them on your plate.
-- Someone drop something close to you? Help them out.
-- If you like to spit your gum out where other people can step on it, please stop it.
And, of course, you can come up with your own! There are hundreds of things you can do that make other peoples' lives easier, and you don't have to plan it out in advance - if you see someone in need, help out. Every little thing you do has the potential to make someone's day.
Here are some amazing websites that you can also take a look at:
~ The Random Acts of Kindness Foundation
~ The Foundation for A Better Life - My new favorite (completely G-rated) website
If anybody decides to participate, I'd love to know about it! Leave me a comment, do whatever you like, and remember, the resolution to be a better person doesn't have to start on January 1 - it can start whenever you make the commitment! Just pick one and make it a habit, and we'll work together!