Today’s guest post comes from Kristen Walker of Project 20 Something. I asked Kristen to do a guest post because I love the life wisdom she shares on the Project 20 Something blog and on social media!
We often get so caught up in our own “stuff” that we get lost in our thoughts and worries and plans, and we end up blocking out the rest of the world. I’m sure you’ve had the experience of being in a crowded place (a store, the metro/bus, the gym) and even though you were surrounded by people, you didn’t actually see any of them because you were up in your own head.
The trouble with this is that 1) your thoughts are usually focused in the past or the future, which means you’re missing the experience of the present moment and 2) you don’t connect with anyone around you, leading to the feeling of isolation in a crowded room.
So how can you remedy both of these struggles at once? Try doing one random act of kindness every day. These can be small things, like holding the door for someone, paying the toll for the car behind you, or letting someone go in front of you in the Starbucks line.
If you’re like me, you’ve probably heard this suggestion before and thought, “That’s nice, I should do that.” And maybe you’ve even tried it before and felt the warm, contented after-effects of helping someone out without asking for anything in return. But what if you made it into a practice? What if you committed to doing one random act of kindness every single day?
You don’t have to plan them out in advance. In fact, it’s better if you let the opportunities come to you because then you’re more tuned in with your environment and the people around you. Plus, when you’re doing nice things for others, you feel connected to them, even if you never speak to them directly.
The best part is, it’s a win-win situation: you’re bringing positivity to others, and you bring more peace into your own life.
So what random act of kindness will you do today?
Kristen Walker is a professional life, career, & relationship coach for people in their 20s and 30s who are craving clarity, balance, and purpose. She co-founded Project 20-Something, a coaching company focused on helping Gen Y-ers create the life they want to live. For a free hour-long phone coaching session, fill out our quick contact form.
