Technolandy

Day 49 (of 2024/25) #kindnessday as part of #movember and the lead into #transgenderawarenessweek

November 13th is Kindness Day – and has been since the initiate started in 1997. The hope has been that people would spend a day focusing on showing kindness… The hope is that the spirit of the day will inspire people to practice kindness every day of the year and by making kindness a priority, we can collectively create a world where empathy, generosity, compassion, and inclusion are the norms, not the exceptions. 

As quoted via Robin Williams: “Everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about. Be kind. Always”

Agencies like RAK – randomactsofkindness.org always has some good ideas to help others, with the side effect that it will help your own mental wellness – such as writing letters of gratitude can make someones day – might be a good day to write a letter – or email! They even have a daily dose of kindness and inspiration that can come to your email box!

So it is timely that it is also the start of Transgender Awareness Week  (Nov 13-19) Did you know? Transgender youth who have supportive adults both inside and outside their family are four times more likely to report good or excellent mental health, and are far less likely to have considered suicide. Trans youth generally report low connectedness to school, but those who report higher school connectedness are twice as likely to report having good mental health. As our district invites:

Join us November 13-19 in acting to honour Transgender Awareness Week. Check out Trans qathet, Trans Care BC, We Are Allies, or check out Tips for Allies of Transgender People  to explore how we can become better allies and advocates for youth who are transgender or identify outside of the gender binary.  

And it is doubly good to connect with Movember – because the kinder we are to others, the better we feel about ourselves. As PsychologyToday.com writes:

When we practice random acts of kindness,

• It releases positivity: We feel better and the recipients of our acts feel better, which then makes them more likely to be kind to other people.
• It can release neurochemicals that result in a sense of well-being, the “helper’s high,” as Allan Luks and Peggy Payne describe the healing power of doing good. In fact, the neural circuits that are involved in chemical “highs” are the same ones activated by kindness and compassion.
• It can reduce pain. Dopamine, serotonin, and endogenous opioids are released by kind behavior.
• It enhances the release of oxytocin in interactions where two or more people are engaged in kindness behavior. In turn, bonds between those who are kind to one another are strengthened.
• It enhances both physical and mental health. Many physical ailments are either precipitated by or aggravated by stress. Kindness reduces stress.

What can you do? Start small:

• let someone cut in front of you in a traffic/shopping line
• Stop to talk with someone, even if you are in a rush
• Lend a hand if someone might need (even if they don’t) assistance – helping someone carry something… return a shopping cart… open a door
• Bigger? Give a gift certificate for a dinner out to a couple that is on your mind
• Donate to movements like Movember (the one time I horribly ask for donations https://ca.movember.com/mospace/13678833?mc=1&utm_medium=share&utm_source=dynamic&utm_campaign=copy-clipboard – honestly, find someone who is more serious about raising funds – I am more about promoting conversations…