Making Compassion a Habit
Research shows when we consciously send compassion and warmth to others through loving-kindness meditation, we feel more connected to people we love, friends, family, neighbors and even strangers! Feeling connected builds our capacity for kindness and compassion, decreases our bias towards others and increases our own well-being. Try one of our loving- kindness practices and notice what happens.
Noticing the parallels between plant nature and human nature helps us appreciate the ways we, too, thrive when we receive and give nurturing. In this activity, setting an intention with your child before planting herb seeds connects you to the potential to grow compassion for ourselves and others.
Nurturing compassionate connections is vital. Whether it’s checking on your neighbors, supporting local businesses or wearing your mask, showing we care is a powerful way to lift each other up. Here are a few mindful ways to show compassion and appreciation for those in your neighborhood:
To memorialize and honor the numerous Black individuals who have been killed by police or vigilantes, and to declare our support for the Black Lives Matter movement, we are collecting paper and fabric flowers from the community.
A personalized Kindness Catcher for someone special gives a creative twist to a traditional game. Plus it’s a playful way to encourage acts of kindness.
When we witness a kind act, it actually improves our mood, making it more likely we too will be kind. Here are a few inspiring kindness projects and activities to help you spread a little kindness into the world.
A wonderful way to add kindness and color to our communities while we shelter-in-place is by creating chalk drawings and writing uplifting chalk messages on driveways and sidewalks. In fact, chalk art is so popular right now, it’s making chalk hard to come by. That’s when knowing how to make homemade chalk comes in handy.
Nature and art make perfect companions in this sensory outdoor project. First you’ll use your keen observation skills to collect natural materials outside. Next, you’ll use those items to create a Nature Paintbrush. Finally, you’ll paint beautiful Kindness Cards to send to people you love and care about. Let’s get started!
Introducing young children to the concept of peace helps them return to those feelings of calm and contentedness when they experience emotional overwhelm. Linking the feeling of peace with a particular person, like a parent, teacher or friend helps reinforce for kids that they’re not alone when they need help regulating.