The Gift of Kindness

By Dr. Jo Anne White –

In the midst of changing times and uncertainty, it’s necessary to shift our focus, taking stock of what’s important in our – family, friends, community, spirituality and health. When our lives are busy and fast paced, we often overlook the value of the obvious.

Life in any form is a precious gift and sometimes we neglect that fact by treating those around us and ourselves without appreciation. When I was in the supermarket, I recently witnessed people racing about, heedless of others, forgetting what little effort it takes to smile and convey an attitude of warmth.

What’s happening to us, I wondered in our forgetfulness to bestow simple acts of kindness to others. Are we so caught up in fear and concern for our own well-being that we’ve forsaken friendly dialogue that costs so little and yet means so much? And if so what are the implications on a broader scale?

Attitude is contagious. Remember a time when someone angered you or mistreated you. Perhaps afterwards, you felt upset. In your next interaction with another person, you unknowingly conveyed anger or unease. That person reacted to your communication and may have yelled at her child and so on down the line until many people were negatively affected by that first remark or mistreatment by someone they didn’t even know.

If we choose to create peace and ease in our lives, we have a responsibility to ensure our interactions reflect well-meaning intention. We have the power to change how we treat others, including how we treat ourselves. Now more than ever it’s important to exercise that power and to make a difference in our lives and in the lives of others.

I decided that I was going to practice what I call rightful intention and see its effect. In a restaurant I visited, the unsmilingly waitress was curt and look frazzled as if she was having a rough day. She slapped the menu down on the table and spoke impatiently when asking for my order.

“You must be so busy,” I said sympathetically, “it’s really crowded in here.”

She sighed and confided that one of the waitresses hadn’t shown up for work and she had already put in an eight-hour shift and had just started another.

“That’s a really long day,” I empathized.

She smiled at me, took my order and even brought me some extra napkins and sliced lemons for my water. When I got up to leave, she thanked me for my understanding and I felt really good inside. I had accomplished something by taking time to be attentive to the needs of another person — a stranger, and she responded in kindness. Hopefully, the next customers reaped the rewards of our positive exchange.

The next time that you’re driving your car, in a store or anywhere, remember to exercise your power to affect change by intending kindness. Hopefully you will make a difference in the life of another.

Dr. Jo Anne White is an International Author and Speaker, Certified Professional Coach and Energy Intuitive who gets to the heart of what matters most to businesses and people. She specializes in Innovation, Transformation and Energy Medicine. For over two decades she’s been applying and teaching the Law of Attraction, using the principles to enrich the lives and businesses of her clients. Her website, http://www.drjoannewhite.com/.