Tallaght, Ireland; DAK; and Free Kindness Resources
Tallaght, Ireland; DAK; and Free Kindness Resources
“You cannot do kindness too soon, for you never know how soon it will be too late.” ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson
Have you ever been to Ireland? There’s a county town south of Dublin called Tallaght. Founded in 769 AD as a monastery, it’s now a unique combination of the old and new. Old Irish pubs sit adjacent to the Shamrock Rover’s soccer stadium, while paths wind along the meadows near the remaining tower of the medieval Tallaght castle. (I want to go there…).
It’s also home to Mark Kelly. Not Mark Kelly the Senator from Arizona. This is Mark Kelly, small business owner in Tallaght, Ireland. Ever heard of this Mark? No? Me either. Until I listened to his Tedx Tallaght talk.
Mark has a successful recruiting company, a family with two kids, and an outdoor lifestyle…. kind of that idyllic life that seems pretty perfect. But Mark was always looking for an edge. Always trying new things to help improve his health and happiness. Things like yoga, fitness training, and nutrition. Maybe the same things that you have tried.
On his way bicycling to his office one day, Mark stopped for coffee. A homeless man sat outside the shop. He doesn’t know why he did it, but Mark paused beside the man and asked him if he needed anything. The man looked up and said, “Yes, I do. I’d love some coffee with cream and sugar.”
When Mark handed the man his coffee, they also exchanged names. They made eye contact. A small gesture of friendship between strangers. A tiny connection.
Mark felt a warm glow and happiness as he continued his ride to work. That euphoria lasted all day.
Mark was puzzled by the feelings he experienced, so he decided to do a little research. What was he feeling? Turns out, his warm fuzzies were the result of kindness.
He discovered that kindness produces oxytocin, which increases blood flow, and generates a kind of natural high. Kindness also relieves stress (I can imagine stress in a recruiting company) and anxiety and it can help you live longer.
Mark was hooked.
In his research, Mark also found that the benefits of kindness compound over time. Just by doing simple, daily acts of kindness, he could live a healthier and happier life.
And you can, too. Random Acts of Kindness (RAK) are awesome. But DAK…. Daily Acts of Kindness will make you healthier and happier!
Watch Mark’s Tedx talk for some great kindness ideas that you can start using today! (Plus, I’m a sucker for an Irish accent!)
One of the reasons I love writing this newsletter is that I keep learning more and more about the benefits of kindness. And one of the things that continually amazes me is the discovery that there are people all over the world who want to learn how they can be healthier and happier by doing daily acts of kindness. Really. Everywhere. In spite of all the negative news surrounding us, people really just want to be kind.
So I thought I’d share just a few of the resources that I’ve stumbled across on my kindness adventure.
And if you have others that you’d like to share, please post them in the comments or just reply to this email and let me know. I’ll add your resources to the list so they will appear on the Kindness Magnet website!
Kindness Resources
Random Acts of Kindness Foundation
Nicole Phillips Kindness Podcast
Special Kindness Health Facts Download
And here’s a colorful, one page sheet chock full of the health benefits of kindness, courtesy of the Random Acts of Kindness Foundation. (This is the first time I’ve included a pdf in a post, so if you have any problems downloading it, please reply to this email and let me know and I’ll send you a copy.
You may have noticed a slightly different format this week. I hope you like it. Let me know in the reader comments!
May your week be filled with kindness. 💜
Visit Our Kindness Library
Want a little more kindness in your life? You can visit our library of articles by clicking here! Enjoy!
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