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Deliberately Random Acts of Kindness: Part 2

24 May 2019

By: Brendan Epps

A couple of months ago, “Deliberately Random Acts of Kindness: Part 1” was published.  Since then, I’ve been so busy with work, school, family, church, and of course my YMCA time, that I haven’t been as deliberate as I intended with acts of kindness. Honestly, when it came time to write Part 2, I wondered if I had anything to share. That brought me to the word deliberate in the title.  It’s there as a reminder that life can get busy.  That there are times for each of us when there’s so much going on, it’s hard to focus on getting through the day, let alone thinking about doing something extra for someone else.  And it doesn’t make us bad people, or selfish; just busy.

I did have a deliberately random act of kindness at the doctor’s office a few weeks ago. I was running late coming from work after a long and challenging day. By the time I arrived at the front desk, I was tired, frustrated, and not in a good mood. I didn’t even want to be happy at that point.  But the nurse at the desk was upbeat and began pointing out blessings like the warmer weather and sunshine after a dreary winter.  She was deliberately kind, to everyone who checked in.  

I wrote a page-long letter to the nurse’s supervisor, expressing my appreciation for her positive attitude and exceptional customer service. Not only did she diffuse my frustrations, but I left with a smile and feeling encouraged the rest of the day.

A few more ways to make random acts of kindness deliberate:

  • Offer your skills to help someone else
  • Ask someone about their day
  • Write a comment card for someone who provided excellent customer service
  • Allow someone to change lanes
  • Offer to bring the grocery cart back for a parent

Kindness goes a long way. People are busier than ever. Tempers are short. And it seems like the more connected we are, the more distant we’ve become. Please, be deliberate about being kind to each other.  It’ll come back to you, but remember how it feels. As a leader in my workplace, kindness is important to me because it also helps me to be a better leader (Nordstrom, 2018).

I still want to hear about your random acts of kindness, please share them with me at successprep@gmail.com. Perhaps there will be a Part 3 in the future with a few of your stories and examples.

Nordstrom, T. (2018, June 4). Science says kindness can make you a better leader. Here are 3 reasons. Inc. Retrieved from https://www.inc.com/todd-nordstrom/research-says-kindness-can-make-you-a-better-leader-here-are-3-reasons-why.html