What brings me joy are actions related to my purpose To raise the positive vibrations of the world by helping others achieve their dreams through facilitating positive change for all. Kindness is an essential path to amplifying positive vibrations.
Here’s a favorite JOY story that happened before I ever knew about JOYELY® On August 21, 2020, I read a Facebook post from a dear friend of 20 years. She and I have always been simpatico in our values and in our leadership roles in our community. By this time, however, we had both moved away to different cities in Florida. This was her post:
There is something terribly wrong with our country right now. Political differences have brought out the worst in us. Friendships have been destroyed over it. This is not the way grown-ups should act. Maybe we need to go back to Kindergarten and learn to follow the Golden Rule” – Do Unto Others As You Would Have Them Do Unto You.” Let’s get back to being hopeful and not fearful; let’s look toward the light and not the darkness; let’s love one another and stop spreading hate.
That post ignited me to reach out to her to start what we first named “Kindness Project – St. Petersburg” and later “Kindness Project – Tampa Bay.” On August 29, 2020, I wrote on FB:
My dear friend Patti Reid and I are asking all our friends to join us in doing our part to nurture love, not hate, kindness not despair, compassion not disinterest, respect not disdain. These times call for courageous action to keep the positive energy moving. More to come. Let’s do this!!
And then the magic began to spread. Within a week Patti had designed our logo for the venture. I then set about ordering yard signs which we sold at cost to neighbors appearing on my doorstep (many of whom I had never met!) with COVID-prevention masks on, hands outstretched with their cash, and excited comments as they took the signs (and small magnets) home. The positive energy was palpable.
After a while it became apparent that we could not continue selling the signs (even though at cost, no profit) without becoming a commercial enterprise. We then created a private Facebook page which attracted 260 people. We reiterated our mission, derived from my first post:
I shared the joy with a team of great friends who became my “dream team” to help me accomplish our goals. We were creating kinder communities. We were actively part of the solution.
Nowadays the Chair of JOY® Experience helps me to remember fondly those experiences and keeps me stay focused on living my pledge to kindness every day. Also, I often wear a T-shirt that says “Kindness is Free.” When I am out and about, people read the words and smile. Sometimes I witness them – in that moment – initiate a kind effort for another.
How about you? Pull up your Chair of Joy right now. Sit. Breathe. Think. Feel. Bring to mind a time when you were either the recipient of an act of kindness or when you had the opportunity to offer kindness to another person. Reimagining now in this magical way, what do you notice?
It’s a universal truth that our thoughts shape our life. What we focus on is what we create. As Mike Dooley says, “Thoughts become things.”
Today’s challenge: Do one act of kindness and then later do a Chair of JOY to see how re-experiencing it feels in your body
Kitty Rowell: Facilitator of Effective Change
“ In a world where you can be anything, be kind.”–Clare Pooley
Embrace joy and kindness, one act at a time—smile at a stranger, lend a helping hand, share a kind word—and watch how we can transform the world together.
There is kindness
to be found
around the edges
the abandoned dog
finding a forever home
inner city gardens
intended to bring together
and feed whole neighborhoods
There are gentle gestures
of caring and concern
rippling through communities
the abused wife given a safe house
in which to heal
toy drive collections
for children needing a cuddly
teddy bear companion
and bears being tagged and
protected in the wild
There is evidence
if you make time to look
of doors being held open
and people paying it forward
and seats being offered
to olders and their bags
being carried by youngers
burdens lifted and lightened
if only for a moment
This is what it means
to be human and humane
and it is visible all around us
if we will but abandon
our predisposition to prejudge
and predict only the worst
It’s about listening
with no agenda
offering with no ulterior motive
hearts being broken open
and mended in community
simply because we are all
in this together
from the heart, mind and pen of Minx
©2022-24. Minx Boren. All rights reserved. Please share with attribution.
Printed with permission of Minx.
It’s time to immerse ourselves completely in the conversation of joy, to prioritize it above most things.. There’s no time to wait; it’s a matter of life and death.
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