***********************
During my fundraising (see previous post) someone asked me if I had ever read any of Danny Wallace's books. I hadn't but I was intrigued. I bought the ones I had been recommended, Yes Man and Random Acts of Kindness.
I haven't read a book properly in ages but as soon as I started reading Yes Man I couldn't put it down. I have also been trying to establish a bit of a better night time routine to try and help with my sleep. Not watching stuff before bed is one of the things I need to stop, so I thought some reading might help relax me.
I don't want to spoil it for anyone who hasn't read it and may want to, but the general message from the book is to say yes more. Say yes to opportunities. Say yes to having fun. Say yes to living life. Say yes to being positive! Obviously having chronic illness, saying yes is very difficult in a lot of situations but I am all for positivity and this book certainly gives you a kick up the backside!! Danny is a comedian and I laughed a lot whilst reading which is also good. Laughter is the best medicine isn't it...
I have now started reading Random Acts of Kindness which is basically a long list of things you could do to spread happiness to other people. 365 ways to make the world a nicer place. Some of the suggestions make me laugh but if everyone did at least one nice thing for someone else, can you imagine how much happier the world would be?
One of the suggestions was to write a note in a book which you are returning to the library. I have actually done that before in a book I read which was really inspiring (One Million Lovely Letters by Jodi Ann Bickley) and I love the thought of the next person reading it and smiling. I wrote something like "never forget you are amazing". I also did the same thing in the same book I sent my friend and she cried when she found it!
The book is rather old and the idea of 'rewinding a video tape before returning it to the video shop' clearly shows how old!! Nice gesture though all the same.
The one that says 'if someone cuts you up in traffic, instead of flicking them a finger, smile at them and wave at them like a lunatic' did make me laugh.
There are loads of simple things you could do which would make a real difference to someone's day. I love random acts of kindness so much and am always sending little things to people. Try it, it makes you feel good and you make someone smile. What's not to like about that??!
I also think people don't smile enough at other people so why not try smiling at the next person who you walk past? Seeing someone smile back at you is lovely.
Or do something like buy a friend a cupcake. Send someone a card in the post. Offer to buy someone a cup of coffee! So many simple things that are actually big things when you see how much they make people feel good.
In a world where there is so much nastiness (& this week has proven just that) people really should try to make it a nicer place. Even if you can't do something for someone then just be kind. Kindness costs nothing. I've seen some really nasty behaviour too recently. Totally unnecessary and just really pathetic. Perhaps acting like that makes people feel good but I would rather feel good for doing nice things!
Let me know in the comments if you've ever done any random acts of kindness or whether you plan on doing!
Lots of sparkle
Ali
xx
Post a Comment