Conscious Kindness Day

May 15^th is Conscious Kindness Day, a day dedicated to spreading love through intentional acts of kindness. Conscious Kindness Day was first created in Winnipeg, Manitoba by the Winnipeg branch of United Way. The United Way is a Canadian non-profit organization that serves thousands of communities throughout the nation. The local and national goal of the United Way is to create opportunities to improve lives and communities. This includes addressing issues of poverty, providing support for children, and creating connected and vibrant communities. Conscious Kindness day has been celebrated annually since 2015. Although the celebration initially started in Winnipeg, other cities have begun celebrating the day as well.

In previous years, local efforts to spread kindness have included installing pop-up stations at major Winnipeg intersections and handing out treats and coffee to people passing by. Kindness can also be expressed on a smaller scale with person to person interactions. The purpose of Conscious Kindness Day is to go out of your way to say or do something kind to the people around you. This can include friends, family, co-workers, acquaintances, and strangers. You never know how far an act of kindness will go and how it will impact the people you encounter. Spreading kindness is important in order to build a healthy and caring community.

Some kind actions you can take include lending a helping hand to someone in need, baking treats for coworkers or classmates, paying for the person behind you in a drive-through, or lending someone a book you think they will enjoy. Don’t forget that kindness also comes from words! Tell your friends and family that you love them, compliment a stranger, or leave an inspirational message for someone to find. Whether your city participates in Conscious Kindness Day or not, make an effort to express kindness to those around you and brighten someone’s day!

Random Acts of Kindness