How I’m Spreading Kindness in the New Year
This post is sponsored by Frost Bank, all opinions are my own.
I can’t believe a new decade is upon us y'all! Like most of us, this is the time of year that I find myself reflecting on the past and really contemplating how I’d like to improve my life and my family’s life moving forward. Optimism has always been a source of strength for me in all aspects of my life, and that mindset has carried me through some really challenging times. Being able to show my little one the importance of positivity, and how giving back and supporting our community can be a catalyst for optimism is what I would like to focus on for 2020!
Some of the things I started asking myself were, “When was the last time I was generous with my time or my money?”, “How can I impact others’ lives in a positive way?” and “How do I teach Knox the best ways to share compassion with others'?”
Frost Bank believes that generosity and random acts of kindness can create a ripple effect of optimism throughout the rest of the world for the better, and I couldn’t agree more. I’ve been banking with them since we moved to Austin 6+ years ago and that’s why I was thrilled when they asked me to share what generosity and optimism mean to me! It’s so easy to get caught up in mom life, work and the endless list of to-dos and this was the inspiration that I needed to make generosity a priority for the new year.
Frost’s initiative to help spark the act of giving is seriously the coolest! Did you know that Optimists are 7x as likely to experience better financial health? They’ve even conducted research to show how optimism can be beneficial to both your emotional and financial well-being. See what kind of optimist you are here!
We kicked off our efforts of giving back to our community by visiting and donating to a local pig rescue. Watching our little one play with the pigs and spend time with them was so incredibly heartwarming. Animals hold a special place in our hearts, so sharing this experience with Knox was exactly what we were hoping it would be. He got to see first hand how sweet these creatures play and interact just the same as the animals we call our pets. Just the couple of hours we spent there left happy tears in our eyes, and our hearts feeling so full. The amount of love that goes into taking care of all 230 pigs and other animals on the farm is a true testament to sacrifice and how far generosity can go. We definitely plan on going back and spending some days volunteering!
"Love cannot remain by itself, it has no meaning. Love has to be put into action, and that action is service.” -Mother Teresa
I love this quote! The love within your hearts is more than just a feeling. It needs to be brought forth and practiced in its purest form through service to others. Have you ever stopped for a moment after helping someone or giving without expectation, and paid attention to that feeling? There is genuinely nothing better. The last couple of weeks I’ve spent actively searching for ways to help people. I picked up a few coats from the thrift store to give to people in need, I bought someone a coffee behind me in line at the coffee shop near our house and also picked up some extra goodies from the grocery store to donate to the local food drive.
One thing to keep in mind is that generosity doesn’t always require time or money. Even if it’s just letting someone go before me in line or helping someone with their grocery cart, being cognizant of others makes my heart feel so full. I encourage you to practice this as we head into the new year! There are opportunities to help others all around you. If you engage in this style of optimism, I think you’ll be surprised at how incredible it will make you feel, and how much it will ripple in your own life.
Believe me, I understand how easy it is to get caught up in our every day lives, but when you notice opportunities in your day, making a small effort here and there can make a huge impact on other people. Just imagine if every person did one kind thing every day, what our world could look like! Having the opportunity to share this experience with you has been so uplifting and I genuinely hope I’ve helped spark the spirit of giving for you going into the new year. So tell me, what ways are you going to spark happiness in someone else life today?
Cheers,
Chenoa
