Monday, June 25, 2012

My Active Kindness Day 1

I don't know why, well, yes, I do.  I was/am feeling a bit overwhelmed by what I know needs to be done in the next couple months before my Fall Quilt Show season starts.  Patterns need to be finished, others need to be created, taxes need to be filed.  The paper work MONSTER has completely held my office in siege-mode still January, is still happily occupying and I'm afraid multiplying as I type.

On a high note, my kids are doing great, which is why I know that all is really ok in the world. 

But that aside, I was really feeling down, and I don't like getting like that.  It's non-productive, depressing and I eat crap that I shouldn't.   So as I'm driving to Costco today I was thinking about how to pull myself out of my self-imposed slump. 

Whenever our kids complained about being whatever, bored, not happy, sad, ....  I would tell them, "Go do something nice for someone.  You will always feel better about yourself when do for others."  Now, granted when they were little, I was forever hopeful, that would mean clean bedrooms or a swept floor.  But I digress.

So with that little chant in my head, I parked the car and headed into Costco.  Not 10 steps away, I see a handicapped man just about finishing loading his car, so I asked if I could take his cart back to the store.  He smiled and thanked me.  Instantly, I felt better.  

Now, I know that wasn't world peace or a blood transfusion. But, I'm afraid that if I hadn't been actively seeking out someone to be kind to, I might have walked past him.  Typcially, my head is filled with the list of things that need to be pick up, stop and get gas, bank, post office, and all thoughts of chores or stresses that fill our minds and blinds us to others.  I'm not proud of that, just acknowledging my truth.

I have to tell you.  A little mental switch popped in my psyche.  I had a great rest of the day.  Later that afternoon, we had a construction crew asked if they could pay us to park some truck and pile some dirt on our property while they do some water pipe construction in our neighborhood.   Mike is happy, they are grating some of our property that he has been wanting done for a while now.
Happy, Happy, Happy!! 

So I'm going apply this,  "Active Kindness" idea into my routine tomorrow.  
Keep you posted on "MAK" 
Shawn