World Kindness Day 2020

World Kindness Day couldn't have been more timely if it had tried.

Here in the UK we have heard over the weekend of the suicide of Caroline Flack, a TV presenter, winner of Strictly Come Dancing and host of several other popular TV shows.

I was only aware of her through 'Strictly' and didn't know much about her life except that I remembered that I shared an article back in December 2018 from The Independent which was a story about Caroline using Hypnotherapy for anxiety.

I've just re-read that article and in that she shares how she used hypnotherapy for anxiety and that she gets more anxious when she isn't working. Perhaps the signs were already there that she was struggling? 

We all go through struggles in life. It's how we respond to them that makes us all different. Some of us will turn to friends, family, professionals. Other's will turn to food, alcohol, sex, drugs, work and try to 'numb' their way through it. Or, more likely, we resort to a combination.

And sometimes when we turn to friends and family we don't get the support we need. Not through any desire to cause harm by them... but they have their own stuff that they're dealing with and may not have the emotional resources to cope with our cry for help. Or maybe they don't have the time, being so absorbed in their own drama.

Of course the world of celebrity social media amplifies everything many-fold. 

It's become far too easy nowadays to become a 'keyboard warrior', typing horrid comments at the slightest little thing that irritates. I don't understand what makes people write such vile things as I see occasionally come up on my newsfeed but we need to start taking a stand.

We need to wake up to the manipulation of the press and some social media sites. 

We need to start taking back responsibility for ourselves and place less reliance on outside/external influences.

We need to open our hearts more and think before we act and speak.

We need to put kindness and community front and centre of our lives, not just something we do on a day like today.

And maybe that's how some good can come out of the tragedies that we see in the World today. The loss of high profile figures through suicide serving to highlight mental health issues and bring them out into the open on a scale that would have taken many more years to achieve otherwise. 

I choose to believe that the World is at a turning point. Our heart chakras are opening on a global scale. The devastation to animals in Australia, the floods in many parts of the World.... and now the UK, after storm Ciara and then Dennis brought deluges of rain, are all opening us up to look after our neighbours, to put others before ourselves more often.

This is how we change to world.

Not through politicians, or legislation, but through how we act, and re-act, every day. 

It's in the small actions, taken often, that big change can be made.

It's in checking up on your family and friends if you see/hear something which seems out of character. 

It's in getting involved with your local community, donating food to the food banks and time to good causes and your friends and neighbours who need a hand, or a listening ear.

It's in buying a coffee or a sandwich for the homeless person sitting on the cold pavement and having a chat with them.

I feel very blessed since my move to a smaller community in Argyll to get to experience this almost daily. I've received the kindness of 'almost strangers' when my car broke down just as a friend arrived for the weekend and my decorator loaned me her car for the day!

I'm fairly sure that wouldn't have happened back in the bigger town that I used to live in. And, to be honest, back in that town, I'm not sure I would have offered to lend mine either!

Moving here has definitely opened my heart up more. Surrounded by the beauty of nature, it's hard not to. But, I'm drifting from my point now!.... I never know where a piece of writing will go.... it meanders as I write.

And so, it feels like this piece of 'musings' has meandered to an end.

I hope you get the gist of what I'm trying to share.

Be. More. Kind. 

That is all :) 

With love, Dawn x