I am a selfish person by nature, just ask my husband and kids how often I’m willing to share my dessert. I have to remind myself to slow down and look for ways to be a kind person.
I do have some great examples in my life of some genuinely kind people. My work boss is one of the most kind and caring people I know. She will often start a Monday morning by asking about my weekend, and she takes the time to listen and asks follow up questions. If I mention a personal problem, she checks in about it days later. Her example has taught me how meaningful it is to simply remember, follow up, and care out loud.
My own mother is another good example – as we speak, my dad has been in and out of the hospital with kidney and heart problems. His issues are not life threatening, so he’s been in and out of the hospital with complications for the last couple weeks, and this pattern will likely continue until he is able to get surgery on the calendar. What is my mom doing? She is making lasagna for a neighbor who just had a baby.
I know I am flawed, but isn’t that the first step? Knowing your faults and working towards improving is all we can do. I do have a handful of examples of some things I’ve done in the last year or so, but doesn’t advertising your random acts of kindness defeat the purpose of the act?
So instead, I’ll just admit that I’m trying. I’m slowly working to turn deliberate acts of kindness into second nature.
Packing for Adventure 
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