There is no exercise better for the heart and soul than reaching out and lifting others up. That’s a sentence that I’ve read somewhere online and it stuck with me for years. Sometimes we need to step back, take a deep breath and acknowledge that we actually are not the center of the universe. On this blog I’ll encourage you my dear readers to share your personal stories of generosity that you’ve experienced throughout your lives. I will share a few of mine as well.
There are countless stories of everyday people practicing kindness and generosity. Whether it’s donating time, money, attention, or simply offering a kind word, these acts make a difference. From helping a stranger in need to supporting a friend during tough times, these small gestures can change lives in meaningful ways. If you want to find out more of these stories for inspiration check 21 stories of generosity by C.J.Hitz – it’s a collection of sharing oneself with others that might actually spark your own kindness.
In the course of human history we can find countless examples of kindness and compassion. You could ask why do I read those? Well for me this selflessness is a true inspiration in today’s world of hurrying and not paying attention to others. I’m an empath and I feel deeply for others – it was and is important to show how much you care not only for your loved ones but also for all people who are part of your community. Kindness helps to shape our morals and builds us up and it has been the key to survival. By making the world a better place we spark joy, gratitude and make people just live better lives. I truly enjoy Harry Styles’s motto “Treat people with kindness” and his spreading vibes of love, tolerance and positivity. I’m hardly a celebrity but in my own little field I make sure to treat people well, help them and support them all the way through.
I’m inspired not only by millionaire celebrities for whom it’s a bit easier to spread kind words and actions, share money and their abundant assets but most of all by ordinary people. After all you don’t need to be rich, famous and successful to change the world. And what you need to remember is that over 8 billion people on this planet will try to convince you that you do not matter but in fact you do! And with your own small acts you can truly change the lives of others. Let me give you some examples.
Recently I read a truly inspiring story of Joshua Coombes – an English hairstylist, who became addicted to positive acts of kindness and one day started to give haircuts to homeless people who could not afford a hairstylist. He mentions “That empty feeling I felt changed. The moment kinda turned on a tap, and this other kind of happiness started flowing in.” And he started a “dosomethingfornothing” campaign on his Instagram page. He became well known for his selfless kind gestures and called by the Washington Post “globe-trotting hair- dresser who helps homeless people look sharp,” but in fact for him it was all about truly seeing people and connecting to those who are often overlooked and ignored. Joshua felt that through a simple act of having a fresh haircut or being clean shaven people often start to reconnect with themselves and awaken their humanity that got lost somewhere on the streets and pavements of a big city. I love the fact that people like Joshua seed kindness and generosity within his own limitations and he gave his heart, time and money to people in need without making a big fuss about it.
(From Instagram / @joshuacoombes)
Another example that grabbed my heart is the story of American graduate students Nick Beckstead, Mark Lee and Tim Campbell who actually give away a chunk of their earnings to the less fortunate. One of them in an interview said “people of even modest income can make a significant difference in the lives of large numbers of people if they give a portion of their income to the right charities.” Beckstead, Lee and Campbell, all in their mid-20s, are among a group of Rutgers students who are launching the first U.S. chapter of Giving What We Can, a U.K.-based international charity movement dedicated to eliminating poverty around the world. The initiative was started by Toby Ord, an ethics researcher at Oxford University.Participants pledge to give at least 10 percent of their incomes to wherever they think it will do the most to relieve suffering in the developing world. Isn’t that just an ordinary act of kindness to give away a small chunk of your income to help others? I applaud that!
Philosophy graduate students, from left, Mark Lee, Nicholas Beckstead and Tim Campell. Credits: Nick Romanenko / Rutgers University
I read countless stories of unwavering generosity throughout centuries of human existence. We sometimes forget that people in fact are kind and generous because we’re being flooded with hate and jealousy dripping from social media. We’re so used to dissing people that the actual generosity and kindness are just overlooked. That’s why on this website I’ll try to make them as visible as possible. If you do know people who are working and sharing themselves with others and you want to give them a shout out – let me know in the comments! I’ll share their story here for you!
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