We are pleased to occasionally have a guest author and even more pleased to have Jamie Palmer, a retired Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor with over 40 years of experience in the field of psychology, join us today. We hope you enjoy her words!

When I look back on my life, aside from the usual memories of childhood, family gatherings, and milestones celebrated, I remember the nice things that random people did for me; the May Day basket left at my door, the coins set aside at the toll booth, a door held open for me, a snow covered driveway magically cleared, an unexpected compliment, a surprise party. There were many more and all of them, treasured memories. Those simple acts of kindness were gifts that helped to remind me that I was worth someone’s effort and that there were good people in the world. To this day, I recall these acts of kindness more vividly than I do the kindnesses that I showed to others. And still, every day, I seek out opportunities to give these simple gifts to others.

Simple acts of kindness have a lasting impact.

At any given moment a chance to affect someone else’s life can present itself and we are nudged to respond. It can be as simple as saying hello to the person in line ahead of us, or helping someone carry packages to their car. These are the “just because” moments that can make someone’s day memorable…for the rest of their life. There are so many people in our communities who feel lonely, sad, and forgotten, and the opportunities to help them are endless as are the rewards. These are the feel-good moments of life, not only for the recipients but for us as well. This stuff is 100% win-win.

What holds us back?

So why don’t more of us put on our superhero capes and fly around making others happy? You might be too focused on your own life. You may think that doing good deeds is time and energy-consuming. Or maybe you are introverted and find it hard to reach out to a stranger. The energy you expend by doing something nice for someone else, in person or even anonymously, has a way of coming back to you. After a day of good deeds, you will be surprised at how much energy you have left; more than you started with.

The transformative power of simple acts of kindness.

Remember the movie “Pay it Forward”? You have no idea how many people are impacted when you are kind to just one person. Your words and actions are powerfully transformative. When a person experiences the joy that your gift produces, they are encouraged to do something kind for someone else.

So get out there, be creative, look for opportunities. But do it today…everyday, before the opportunity passes you by.

To your health and happiness,

Jamie Palmer