· By Kaitlin Johnstone
Introducing: The Kindness Challenge!
World Kindness Day is Wednesday, November 13th and this year we want to celebrate ALL MONTH LONG! Over the past 12 months, we have taken a deeper look into what the true definition of kindness means to us. According to the dictionary, kindness is to be of sympathetic and helpful nature. When dissecting this definition, it has become rather clear to us that sometimes the intent of being helpful, is in turn harmful. Think about it through the lens of a teacher: You are in the middle of a lesson in which you need all students on task. One student jumps up out of nowhere and yells that the tissue box is empty and runs to find a new one to replace it. Sure, the intent behind recognizing the need for new tissues is wonderful; however, now we have a classroom full of kids who suddenly feel the urge to blow their nose, all the while missing the practice part of the lesson. Of course, this example is minuscule in comparison to other issues that misguided kindness can cause. But, we can all clearly see the impact the intended gesture had.
As a company, we strive toward not only spreading random acts of kindness, but also ensuring that our well-intended kindness is a global initiative that is inclusive of ALL people. We want to encourage you to compliment a friend, buy a cup of coffee for a stranger, or let someone take your place in line at the grocery story. However, we also want you to dive further into what makes the world kind for everyone. Are you holding a door for someone behind you, but also not speaking up when a family member makes a racist joke at the dinner table? Are you smiling as you pass someone on the street, yet not believe that if you were a different skin color people may cross the street as they see you approaching? Are you consistently spreading the message of “throw kindness around like confetti”, yet not reflecting on what kindness looks like for everyone in this world? For us, our answer is simple and has been stated many times, but will continue to be spread to ensure it is received.
We want kindness to equal action. We want to put forth a message that not only encourages you to spread kindness in ways that you’ve participated in your entire lives, but we also want you to step outside of your comfort zone and discover how you can learn, grow, and reflect. We are by no means perfect when it comes to this matter. In fact, when I personally look back on where I was a year ago, I recognize that my kindness was misguided. Sure, my intentions were always to “be a good person”, but my impact may not have led to positive outcomes for everyone. For more specific information on what true kindness means to us, refer to our last blog, “Kindness is more than coffee”.
OK, now onto the fun part! In thinking of ways to make an impact this November, we have come up with an awesome challenge for all of you! Each Saturday, starting this week, November 2nd, we will be putting out a CHALLENGE VIDEO relating to a specific act of kindness that week. We are asking that you share the hashtag #kindnesschallenge and tag us in your post or story (@kindcotton on Instagram/ www.facebook.com/kindcottonclothing on Facebook) that highlights you participating in the challenge for that week. We will choose a winner every Friday to receive a free Kind Cotton item. Join us in our movement to be more kind and be sure to check our social media/website this Saturday for more details!
