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A few months ago Alefiyah Tawawalla, my long time friend and Secretary of The Love and Kindness Project Foundation, asked if I had a few minutes to chat because she had something to tell me. And here’s what it was: that she had decided to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro…and that she had started training! She also wanted to let me know that she planned to take a flag with our Foundation logo with her to bring visibility to his work on kindness we are doing!

Last week, Alefiyah did the climb! And it is so symbolic! So often it’s a struggle to figure out how to think, speak and act kindly…and like the training to climb a mountain, kindness takes a lot of practice! And it takes a huge amount of courage and perseverance!

Alefiyah! We are all so proud of – and jumping for joy with you! What an inspiration you are to us all!

On the weekend I was in line at the supermarket checkout when I heard a friendly “argument” between two people in the line next to me. “Are you sure you don’t want me to pay for some of these things?” one person pressed? “Oh no! I’ve been saving to take you here so you could choose whatever you like! And I’m going to take you out to dinner too!” The banter went back and forth for a few minutes…and the smiles on their faces made me smile!

So I got out a couple of Love and Kindness Buttons and gave them to each person! “That’s the kind of “arguing” I love to hear! Thank you for your kindness”, I said!

“Great story, great friends”, you are probably thinking! As was I. The other part of the story is that one of the friends was obviously a trans woman.

And if that changes your opinion, or causes you to pause and wonder if you would offer a Love and Kindness button in that situation, I’d like you to think again. Because you don’t need to be the judge of other people’s choices of how to live their lives. Those are their choices. Not yours.

The fact is, the more unkindly you judge other people, the less likely you are to speak and act kindly to them.

The equation is simple:

Less judgment = more Kindness

Today (and every day), please remind yourself that even if someone isn’t doing what you think they should, you don’t need to judge them harshly or treat them unkindly, because it isn’t up to you to judge.

It’s up to you to act, speak and think kindly so that everyone feels safe and welcome.

I’ll say it again…Less judgment = more kindness…

It’s Monday morning! When you got out of bed, did you feel a sense of dread about the coming day and week? Or a sense of excitement? I’m asking because I’ve been thinking a lot about optimism over the past few weeks. In tough times, it can be even harder to stay optimistic – to believe that things are going to be okay and work our positively – than in regular times. Even super-optimistic people (like me) can be weighed down by the extra stresses of coping with the ongoing pandemic, social unrest and upheaval and concerns about difficulties family and friends are having. So today, to start off your week on the bright side, I’ve put together a short list of the things I do to keep myself looking at the bright side! Drawing and writing them out helped me…and I hope they’ll help you too! Please feel free to share with anyone and everyone! And remember, no one feels positive all the time! When you don’t, pick yourself up, brush yourself off, use these tips and soon you’ll be feeling optimistic again!

Last night, as I watched the first US Presidential ‘debate’ of 2020, my decision about how to cast my vote was solidified. Here’s what I’ve decided. While most people vote for a particular party, political platform, or for a specific candidate, this year I’ll be voting for kindness.

Here’s why.

Because the way a leader leads – how they do what they do, including what a leader says, has a huge effect on those they lead. From the President of the country, to the president of a company, what a leader models influences the thoughts, words and actions of the people they lead.

During these turbulent times, what our country needs is a leader who thinks, speaks and acts kindly. To everyone. At all times. A leader whose kindness will unite, not divide us. A leader whose kind words will calm and soothe the social unrest and upheaval we’re going through. A leader whose kind actions will help us to heal from the physical and mental unwellness of the global pandemic we’re all working to survive.

So, here are the top three things I’ll be looking for in a candidate when making my ‘vote for kindness’ choice this year:

1. Evidence that the candidate thinks kindly of others. I’ll be looking to see what choices a candidate has made about who they invite to have a seat at their table; who’s been included – and who they have excluded – from important discussions and decisions. I’ll also be watching to see how they treat others from different backgrounds and cultures.
2. Next, I’ll be listening to what the candidate says about others. Both in words and in print. Since our thoughts determine our words, and our words influence our own and others’ actions, the candidate I’ll be voting for needs to choose their words kindly. I’m not voting for a candidate who speaks disparagingly about others.
3. Finally, I’ll be looking for a proven track record of acting kindly. How, in past, the candidate has treated those are less fortunate. Those who are vulnerable and need help. Even those the candidate doesn’t agree with. Because you don’t need to agree with someone’s views and opinions to speak and act kindly to them.

Today, in a world where a leaders’ words and actions travel quickly through social media channels such as Twitter, and television appearances like last night’s debate, their influence – unkind or kind – is amplified through repeated views and sharing. That means that in an increasingly fragmented, polarized, and divided world, we need leaders who actively model kindness. Because leaders who think, speak and act unkindly give legitimacy and permission to those they lead to think, speak and act in exactly the same unkind ways.

So that’s why, on November 3^rd, I’m going to be voting for kindness. And I hope that you will too. Because, no matter which side of the political aisle you sit on, with your vote, in this election, you have the opportunity to vote not just for the President and your state representatives, but for kindness. And in these tough and turbulent times, that’s the vote we all need to cast.

And please don’t forget to download your free #VoteForKindness poster on our Posters page!

This morning when I woke up it was totally dark! Fall is here and the days are getting shorter. Many of us hoped the pandemic would be over by now. And that things would have gone back to normal. As summer turns into Fall, and extra stresses combined with continuing uncertainty add up, it can be hard to stay motivated. Some days it can even feel difficult to just get up out of bed and keep going. So yesterday, as I spent time drawing and reflecting, I created this mini-poster with ideas to help you (and me!) stay motivated through tough times. So if you’re not feeling super-motivated this Monday morning, please take a few minutes to read these ideas…and feel free to pass them on to others! And remember, no one feels – or needs to be – motivated every day! Including me! That’s okay too!