Nelson Mandela Day 2022

Showing kindness during Nelson Mandela Month 2022

From contributing money, food, or time, there are lots of ways to support your community. Mandela Day, celebrated on Nelson Mandela’s birthday, honours his memory by encouraging citizens to spend 67 minutes in service of others to promote peace.

Every small act of kindness is significant, and it can lead to more positive outcomes. We can all change the world one random act of kindness at a time. There are so many ways to show kindness to causes either as an individual or as colleagues and in your families.

One can never go wrong with kindness and there can never be too much of it. We are wired for human connection when it comes to all relationships, therefore it is essential that you show not only kindness, but goodwill to help bring happiness to everyone around you.

“Poverty, is not natural, it is man-made and it can be overcome and eradicated by the actions of human beings.”
— Nelson Mandela said in an impassioned speech in 2005.

The importance of being kind often becomes clearer when we experience kindness from another person. Being treated with kindness can improve a person’s mood.

Write a Thank You Note

Saying thank you isn’t just about being polite. We face negative feedback, critiques, and stress daily. When someone says, ‘Thank You’, and genuinely means it – it brightens everyone’s day.

Surprise a Friend with a Kind Message

The Values in Action Inventory of Strengths identified Kindness as 1 of 24 key character strengths and found that individuals who lead with kindness tend to be happier as a result.

Call Someone Who Needs a Pick-Me-Up

Research shows that when we support each other, we’re better equipped to deal with our own challenges and stress. We’re soft-wired for sociability, attachment, and companionship, and nothing makes us happier than feeling like we belong.

Expressing gratitude

Expressing gratitude can increase your happiness and life satisfaction.

Research shows that expressing gratitude increases happiness and decreases symptoms of depression and anxiety. When we share our appreciation, we lift everybody up right alongside ourselves.

Practicing gratitude can evoke joy, meaning and purpose to your environment and enhance your well-being. In a competitive world, and with new challenges being created daily, this can be vital.

Take a moment to appreciate others

Don’t assume people know how much you value them – a little appreciation goes a long way.

·         Write an inspiring note for someone

·         Enthusiasm is contagious

·         Encourage a shared sense of purpose

·         Bring the best version of yourself that you are capable of to others

·         Motivate those around you

·         Be self-aware

·         Patience is a virtue

·         Tap into empathy and humility

Empathy, compassion, and care for others

An example of this could be by finding a non-profit whose values align with you to encourage goodwill. In the aftermath of giving gestures, you may find a feeling of accomplishment and gratefulness. Always show your care for others in a selfless way. Take the focus off “you.” It could be an important step when you are looking to improve your goodwill and gain more self-awareness, by giving back to your community.

·         You only need a little bit of hope to make a big difference. Feeling hopeful can be anything from lifting your mood, to giving you something to focus on, or something to look forward to in the future.

·         Find the joy in helping others. Helping others is not only good for them and a good thing to do, but it also makes us happier and healthier too. Giving also connects us to others.

·         Caring for others strengthens your relationships. Caring for others helps to develop empathy and the ability to connect with people, it can also create a sense of accomplishment.

·         Share your skills. One of the key benefits of encouraging knowledge sharing is democratizing learning. Providing growth and learning opportunities is easier than you may realize.

·         Helping can boost our self-esteem. Altruistic behaviors, including large and small acts of kindness, may raise your feelings of self-worth. There’s something unique about leaving one’s comfort zone to support someone you might not know.

Helping a stranger is more challenging than assisting a friend, but it’s worth the while

Helping strangers doesn’t need to be on a grand scale. Ask yourself, when was the last time you stopped to help a stranger? Every time you leave your home you are bound to encounter a stranger. And you are likely to encounter a stranger that needs your help. If you take a moment to look around you, you will recognize how you are able to help a stranger. Always challenge yourself to be better, so the next time you encounter a stranger needing help, lend a hand.

Remember that you can’t help others if you can’t help yourself. Do not hesitate to reach out to us if you need help.

PROCARE