Making This World A Better Place Through Random And Regular Acts Of Kindness
All companies, no matter the products or services they offer, stand for something.
And most companies seek to communicate these values to their customers.
As a consumer, like you, I find it comforting when I can see evidence of such claims.
Here at Lifeboost, we refer to our values or standards as our 4 Core Pillars, and on our website, we describe these pillars as “What Makes Lifeboost Great.”
Our clean pillar refers to how we value health, namely how we believe that prioritizing clean, healthy foods and beverages most of the time, brings invaluable rewards to the human body.
This is evidenced in where and how we grow and process our coffee, it’s even seen in how we have each and every batch of coffee 3rd party tested to ensure every sip is clean, pure, and healthy, providing you with all the wonderful benefits coffee has to offer.
Then, our cause pillar refers to our desire to support those causes we truly believe in. For Lifeboost, this means supporting our farmers, our communities, our planet, and more.
This is evidenced through our relationships with our farmers, through paying them fair wages, in our partnership with organizations which aid in bettering the communities where our farmers and their families live, in how we donate to and partner with various organizations and service members within our own community, as well as through our support of charities and organizations which seek to protect and improve the health of our planet.
Our third pillar is connection, and this references what we all know to be crucial in this life, the need to form and foster relationships with friends, colleagues, family members, and even our own self.
We believe coffee provides a tremendously inviting means for enhancing such connections, and this is why you commonly see articles on our blog detailing ways to use coffee as a means for such connection.
You can also routinely find us providing coffee for service personnel within our community, seeking to both support and connect with those in our neighborhood who tirelessly serve each and every one of us.
Our last pillar, however, is kindness.
And, while the use of the word “however” may seem a bit odd here, I used that word because some things are more easily evidenced in our actions as a company than others.
I mean sure, you can see that we value kindness as we provide you with blog posts from time-to-time detailing ways you can show this to others. (We’ll even include some options for this in our discussion here today.)
And, you could also say we’re exemplifying kindness in how we deal with our customers.
You could even classify our community support as a measure of kindness.
But all in all, this pillar could seem to lack evidence showing forth our adherence to such a value…without someone to spill the beans, that is!
No, we’re definitely not turning into a gossip column!
However, having personally been on the receiving end of the outworkings of this Lifeboost core pillar, I’d like to use a small portion of our discussion time today to showcase the kindness I’ve experienced from many of our Lifeboost leaders.
In doing so, I hope you will be encouraged to also show forth kindness to those in your life, community, workplace, friend circles, family, and beyond!
Lifeboost Kindnesses
On our website, you’ll find the following description of our Kindness Core Pillar:
“We believe that in order to make the world a better place, it all comes down to treating people how you would like to be treated…with Love, Honor, and Respect.”
I count myself blessed to be able to tell you that I’ve never experienced anything but this level of kindness from any and all that I’ve had the privilege to work with/for on our Lifeboost team.
Technically, as a writer, I’m considered an independent contractor.
But, Lifeboost has always respectfully treated me as a valuable member of their team.
Shannon, our Content Strategist Manager, is one of the sweetest, most kind individuals I’ve ever encountered.
She’s the person who assigns writing topics to me, and she also reviews each assignment I complete.
She’s gracious, never rude, always considerate, wonderfully helpful, and I can’t count how many times she’s brightened my day with a simple sentiment such as a random note to say - “I hope you’re having a wonderful week!”
Then there’s Michelle, our Director of Operations.
As I also send out some of our Lifeboost gift boxes, I commonly report to and work with her to accomplish these tasks.
Michelle has always respected my time. She routinely checks in to make sure I have all I need to keep this ‘department’ running smoothly, and whenever there’s a hiccup due to shipping or technology, she’s calm, helpful, and understanding.
When we’ve had mishaps or an overabundance of coffee due to a discrepancy, she’s the first to suggest donating the coffee to those in need in my personal community, helping me find shelters and programs in need of goods.
She also rarely misses an opportunity to praise even the smallest of my efforts. Things I don’t even think of as exceptional, she’s quick to send an “I greatly appreciate you,” or a kind comment like “you’re amazing!”
Then, when someone in my husband’s family passed away unexpectedly a few years ago, Michelle, Shannon, Dr. Charles, and a few other Lifeboost leaders were so quick to offer their support and sympathy.
The nature of my role at Lifeboost already offers a great deal of flexibility, so I truly had no need for any extensions or extra consideration during that time, yet these kindnesses were given in abundance.
And lastly before we move on, if you’re a regular reader of ours you might recall that I’ve mentioned from time to time my familial connection to our CEO, Dr. Charles. (He and I are cousins.)
Lucky for you, this tie provides me with a pretty personal look at whether or not he really holds true to his vision, regarding kindness, for this company.
So, what can I tell you about Dr. Charles…or Charlie, as I know him?
Charlie is truly one of the kindest people I know.
I don’t say that lightly, and full transparency - I don’t say that without tears in my eyes either, for he’s touched my life, repeatedly, in so many kind and positive ways.
I can’t count the number of times he’s lent a listening ear, offered needed advice, opened up his home, or even gifted items (often coffee) to me, my kids, my dad, or others in our family simply out of the kindness of his heart.
I just love it when my dad calls to tell me he talked to Charlie on the phone, his description of their conversation saying far more about how valued Charlie made him feel than the actual details of the words they shared.
You see, what Dr. Charles (Charlie) knows, what our Lifeboost leaders know, and what I know and commonly see exemplified, is that kindness is a gift…and not just for those on the receiving end of this virtue.
In fact, I’d say kindness begets kindness.
And, what I hope I’ve conveyed to you thus far is that I’ve witnessed and experienced this firsthand here at Lifeboost.
Then, these kindnesses bestowed upon me have only inspired me to show forth the same love, sincerity, honor, and respect - not only for those extending it but to all others I encounter throughout my life.
Kindness is truly contagious, a contagion we crucially need in this world.
I feel like I can confidently speak for each person at Lifeboost when I say we believe in the power of kindness.
This value has been proven to boost mental, physical, and emotional health.
And simply stated, when we show kindness to others, this ripples through our world’s waters far beyond what we can ever see with the naked eye.
So then, what are some ways you can send out those ripples of kindness in your own corner of the world, extending love, honor, and respect in a collective effort to make this world a better place?
Random And Regular Acts Of Kindness
Most of us have heard of the phrase “random acts of kindness,” but do we truly know the power of such acts?
A kind word or gesture can make all the difference in a person’s life, and in turn, the world, which is why kindness is something we greatly value here at Lifeboost.
Below you’ll find a list of ways you can share kindness (randomly and regularly) with others, but feel free to extend this list, letting us know of any specific ways you enjoy showing love, honor, respect, and kindness to those in your life.
1- Won’t You Be My Neighbor
My admiration for Dr. Charles’ regular disposition of showing kindness to others runs a little bit deeper than what’s seen on the surface.
You see, our grandpa was also a kind and generous man.
For starters, he always had a large garden, and he regularly shared this bounty with others.
So many people in our community would commonly stop by my grandparents’ home to bring homemade chocolates, meals from time to time, or simply to just stop and enjoy a cup of coffee.
I sometimes wondered why this was a common occurrence, then one day, the lady who routinely brought homemade chocolates during the holidays connected the dots swirling within my young mind.
“Do you know how special your grandparents are?” she asked.
Without giving time for my answer, she said, “your grandma and grandpa helped me so much when my husband was ill. They’ve always brought us home grown vegetables, and Speedy (my grandpa’s nickname), well he just comes around and helps us even when we don’t ask for it.”
I think I was 7 or 8 years old at the time, but do you know what her words communicated?
In that moment as she spoke, I realized that random acts of kindness, simply helping out a neighbor in need or sharing something as simple as tomatoes, corn, and cucumbers, communicated care, concern, love, and gratitude for others.
And, when we feel this, it often prompts us to do the same.
So yes, random acts of kindness can be as simple as lending a hand to your neighbor, doing ordinary things with an extraordinary impact, such as…
- Shoveling a driveway
- Sharing a cup of sugar
- Offering to mow a lawn
- Bringing a meal
- Inviting someone over for a cup of coffee
- Offering to babysit for a friend or neighbor
- Offering to walk your neighbor's dog
- Sharing a smile or wave as you pass by
- Stopping to have a friendly conversation with your neighbor
I heard someone recently say being neighborly is nearly a lost art in today’s time, but I hope this isn’t true in your neighborhood.
And if it is, I challenge you to change this, even doing one random act of kindness to/for someone on your block this week.
2- Kindness From Afar
Doing something helpful, kind, or nice for a neighbor is often one of the first things we think of when performing acts of kindness. But you can also make a profoundly positive impact in the lives of others from afar.
Phone calls, texts, facetime, emails, etc. each offer a means through which we can extend kindness.
You can show regular kindness to your colleagues by choosing to honor and respect them in your communication.
You can also extend such value to your friends and family members in the same manner.
Aside from exemplifying kindness in regular and random opportunities for communication, also consider sending a random, positive, and encouraging text, note, email, or even a phone call to let someone (many someones) know you appreciate them.
And consider the following in your communication efforts:
- Be specific
- Be complimentary and positive
- Express care and concern
- Seek to connect
3- Know No Stranger
From a young age we’re taught about stranger danger, and this can be helpful advice for youngsters, teens, etc.
But, amidst these helpful exhortations, I hope we’ll all still remember that we can truly make this world a better place by showing kindness to strangers.
Most of us have heard of the notion of paying it forward, specifically paying for someone’s coffee or meal when you’re out at a restaurant or cafe. However, this method of showing kindness is only the beginning.
You can show kindness to strangers in so many ways…
- Always smile when you make eye contact with someone out in public, you never know how much this can brighten someone’s day.
- Speak kindly to your server, waiter, cashier, driver, etc.
- Leave a generous tip when you’re able.
- Seek to offer a helping hand if/when you see an elderly person loading groceries into their vehicle.
- Open or hold the door for those entering a building.
- Offer your seat to someone in a waiting area or on a public transport system.
- Allow someone to step in front of you in line, especially if you notice they have fewer items than you (in a grocery store setting, for instance).
- Pay for someone’s coffee or meal.
- Be kind to customer service personnel, even asking them how their day is going.
- Compliment folks you meet while out and about for a walk, while shopping, while dining out, etc.
4- Your Family Deserves Kindness Too
We commonly think of random acts of kindness as those things we can do or share with strangers, neighbors, and co-workers, but our family members deserve this same kindness as well.
They say those we spend most of our time with are the easiest to take for granted.
Showing kindness, however, helps us to avoid this.
- Consider leaving kind notes which express your appreciation for family members, friends, or roommates.
- Be sure to speak kindly to your children.
- Lend your spouse or partner a helping hand (without being asked).
My daughter is currently in college. Since we’re only 15 miles from the university, she commutes.
She usually does her own laundry, cleans her room, and a few other chores around the house, but as last semester neared an end, and stresses mounted, her room, laundry, etc. were piling up.
I didn’t say anything negative regarding the growing pile of Christmas decorations, clothes, etc, but I also left them, not wanting to overstep as she repeatedly stated that she’d get to those things this day, that day, next weekend, and on and on.
Then, one day I just decided to clean her room - dusted, vacuumed, did her laundry, changed her linens, decorated for her…the whole nine.
She nearly cried when she came home.
She hugged me repeatedly, and for weeks she continually expressed her gratitude for that gesture amidst a time when she was simply experiencing near stifling stress at school.
Moral of the story…
Parents and children, never underestimate what a simple helping hand can do to encourage others in your family!
5- Coffee Is Always Kind
In referencing our connection pillar, I detailed how we viewed coffee as a simple, yet delightful means of connection.
And frankly, kindness can be shown in a similar way.
Personally, I’ve seen coffee bring joy to so many, especially when it’s shared out of a heart of love, respect, and kindness. So, consider spreading kindness with coffee in the following ways:
- Donate coffee to your local food pantry, shelter, police force, fire station, teachers, nurses, etc.
- Send the gift of coffee to a friend or loved one for a nice, unexpected surprise
- Send dinner guests home with a cup or bag of your favorite brew
- Invite a friend, colleague, or neighbor out (or into your home) for a cup of joe
- Have some coffee prepared for your mail carrier, especially in the cold temp months
I hope you’ve enjoyed our kindness exploration today.
And, while you might not be able to see it from here, know that I’m sending you a virtual smile, with the sincere hope that each of you have a truly amazing week!
Check out Lifeboost Coffee Double Dark Mocha.
References:
- https://afors.org/2021/08/03/the-importance-of-kindness-in-our-world-defining-kindness-and-reasons-to-be-kind-part-1/#
- https://www.everydayhealth.com/emotional-health/all-about-kindness/#
- https://calegion.org/kindness-begets-kindness/#
- https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/explore-mental-health/kindness-and-mental-health/random-acts-kindness
- https://www.randomactsofkindness.org/the-kindness-blog/2943-50-kindness-ideas-for-random-acts-of-kindness-day#