Jane: Ahhh … that’s so sweet!

Joe: And, oh so simple, if we are prepared for the moment.

Jane: Just think, we already have a head start because on Day 13 we started the process by saying something nice to someone.

Joe: That’s right. The problem oftentimes is when we think of being kind or generous, we think in terms of grandeur. We want to do something special; we want to be the super hero that saves the day. Those opportunities may arise for some, but all we really need to do to have a positive impact on others is to perform small acts of kindness.

Jane: That is so true. I remember once, I had a co-worker who had a prolonged injury that kept her at home. I had stopped by the grocery store and bought some pre-made cookie dough, ran home after work, popped it into the oven and brought it over to her house. Nice warm chocolate chip cookies that took all of 30 minutes of my time, but WOW, what a difference it made to this person. She told me once she returned to work, she was convinced that simple act shortened her recovery time by a full week. 

Joe: I believe it. It gave her that feeling that she was wanted, needed, appreciated and if not loved at least cared for by a co-worker.  

Jane: What is really sad, Joe, is that it made me realize how many opportunities I have had over the years to have the same impact with friends and family, more or less a co-worker.

Joe: Well, I wouldn’t be too hard on yourself. We all have missed those opportunities. The key is now that you are conscious of the fact that a “Small Acts of Kindness” can reap big rewards you can make it a quest and begin to look for opportunities to perform them. And yes, even a nice word is sometimes all it takes.

Your Path: When we perform “Small Acts of Kindness,” we take “Saying Something Nice” to a new level. It will really help you feel better about yourself; thus, not only do you give, but you receive. Receiving this gift will allow you to stay true to your path!

“Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.”

– Leo Buscaglia 

Note the significance: Not turn someone’s day around but turn a life around! Remember, it’s not the big things we do once in a lifetime, but the daily repeating of small things.

Song: 

“If Everyone Cared”  

– Nickelback

 Whenever we show small acts of kindness, we show someone we care.

Write down a few situations in your daily life where you could perform a small act of kindness. The key: think ahead, pre-plan.

• “Let’s go out to dinner and take a break from cooking,” vs. “Hey you wanna go get sommin’ to eat?” 
• Bring home a goodie from the bakery!
• Pick up special ingredients for a nice dinner. 
• Bring a co-worker a deluxe coffee. 
• Accept small acts of kindness: If a co-worker brings you a donut, eat and enjoy it. If you started a new diet, exercise an extra 10 minutes instead of saying, “no thanks, I just started a new diet.”