Kind Kindred : Tiffany : Live Happy

Why hello there! How the heck are you on this pretty day? Today we'd like to introduce you to Tiffany Moore, she's such a sweetheart! Her post really struck a chord with me, courage and bravery go hand-in-hand & I think it takes a brave person to be kind, especially these days, because you don't know how you'll be received. So yeah, Tiffany is so completely spot on. We hope you love her post as much as we do! Peace to you! - Jenn

courage, love and change, originally uploaded by b. jacqueline.

The Courage of Kindness

Most people think that being kind is easy, that niceness just comes naturally, and that the nicest people are just that way.

Not true, my friends.

A person I barely knew recently brought me flowers. Just to say thank you. To tell me that I helped her and that she appreciated it.

I was touched beyond belief by this. And while it brought tears to my eyes and absolutely made my day, it also taught me something about courage.

I work part-time at a paper store, and I had recently helped this woman with her wedding invitations. I helped her put together the order, made suggestions, talked to her about wording and placement and envelope color. I spent a few hours with her over the course of a couple of days.

And I made a real difference to her experience.

I helped her, and she showed true kindness in thanking me for this help.

What I learned later when I decided to bring flowers to a friend who was preparing for an art opening was that true kindness takes courage. Stepping out of your comfort zone to help someone is not always the easiest thing to do.

Kindness requires the type of courage that you have to build up, that you have to develop. A courage that gets stronger the more kindness is practiced.

I know that I'm a nice, sweet person. I have a Southern-ness about me that forces me to be polite to everyone and smile at strangers, but when it comes to going out of my way to be kind, I'm shy. I don't want to offend an older person by assuming that they can't stand up on the train. I don’t want someone to judge me if I compliment her outfit.

But, in real life, I have never actually been offended by someone offering me a seat on the bus at the end of a long day. I’ve never thought less of a stranger who likes my outfit. I’ve never been angry by someone bringing me flowers or a sweet treat or a little gift just because. In fact, contrary to what I believe in my head, all of these things have the potential of really changing my mood, of turning a mediocre day into a fantastic one.

So here’s what I’ve learned:

Sometimes going out of you way to be kind to someone is scary.

Sometimes reaching out to someone, a stranger perhaps, to tell them that they've impacted your life in some positive way is scary.

Sometimes stepping out of yourself to take a moment to do something for another person is scary.

But, y'all, it is so necessary.

So here's what I ask of you: the next time you're thinking about taking a step of kindness, of helping a stranger, of doing something to brighten someone's day, don't make it about you. Take your ego out of the equation. And do it just because.

Because it’s the right thing to do. Because you’d want someone to do it for you.

Because you might just be able to change someone's day.

I bet you'll feel pretty darn good about the whole thing. And special. And it might even make your day too.

Tiffany Moore is a lover, dreamer, and imaginator living in Northern California. She writes about finding her own most-happy life on her blog, and you can also find her selling her art on etsy and inspiring things up as a co-host of Spring. Tiffany thinks that everyone deserves to live their most sparkly life, and she thinks everyone in this world is beautiful, including you.

Pin It