World Kindness Day

Today is World Kindness Day. It's a day look beyond ourselves, beyond the boundaries of our country, our cultures, races, and religions and realize we are an extended community. A world family. It's a day to practice random acts of kindness. A day to recognize that one simple act can change the world.

Seems impossible. How can one act make such a difference? But just think- there are over 7 billion people in the world. If for one day just 1% of those people made a point to do something extra, something  kind, made a positive d change in the way they related to others, maybe took the time to help a stranger. Could you imagine how much change could happen? How much happy? The world would be an immeasurably better place. We' probably have at least 140 million happy people - beneficiary and at least one benefactor.  And since those recipients of others kindness would be more likely to pay it forward it becomes exponential and those around them might get the bug to do something kind. It can bes infectious - just like a smile.

So it's a big thought that just needs a small act. You don't need to give a million dollars like Lady Gaga did to make a difference (course if you have it to spare it's a great idea!), maybe you have some food to share or simply some time to help someone. Every small act counts in this big world.

If your short of ideas there are many places to find inspiration. The Random Acts of Kindness Foundation's website is full of ideas and stories. It's a great place to be inspired and even has a section for educators to bring kindness into the classroom through activities and lesson plans.  And then there's blogs like 366 Random Act of Kindeness where Ryan Garcia journals his daily acts to inspire.

At Little Footprints we carry Boom Boom Cards. These awesome decks of random acts of kindness are perfect to make being kind the ultimate game of goodness. I love them. I play them. Each deck has 26 cards of inspiring ideas to do and even blank cards to create your own action cards. It's a game of play-it-forward, the idea is to commit the act of kindness from the card you choose then take to the net and share your act with others on the Boom Boom site and then pass that card on to someone else. As the card goes from person to person the kindness grows and so do the stories linked to that card on the site. The most amazing thing is see how one act can move across the world and make a difference, Boom Boom's site links the cards and their stories on a world map so you can see how far your kindness can reach. With their Green deck, Teen deck, Family and Original decks there's enough inspiration to inspire great change and with all the decks costing under $20 taxes in, they make a wonderful gift to inspire others.

Sharing Random Acts of Kindness with Boom Boom Cards

So don't let the enormity of the idea that you can make the world a better place hold you back. Do one kind thing today that you normally don't do and join in the quest to make this planet a little kinder place for us all.

With love,
Barb

October is Fair Trade Month

Did you know October is Fair Trade Month? Yes, indeedy it is! So like all other "Months"  it's a time to raise awareness - in this case for the reasons why fair trade is important.

You might be wondering why it's important to get behind fairly traded principles and goods. To invest in fair trade and ethically sourced goods is to buy and use socially and commercially sustainable, fair trade products in place of things which may harm the environment, the economy, communities and individuals. We can raise the quality of life, employment, manufacturing and ethical standards around the world - doing our own part to eliminate sweat shops, child labour and to ethically manage our worlds resources - if more often we were to say 'no' to cheap badly sourced stuff. 

For me it starts with considering the impact bad manufacturing has on the individual then imagining the bitter end. I would rather invest in something worth it's cost - 'course I'd like it to last but I would also like to know that the people who made it are living a decent life, that the resources used to make it are worth their investment in the goods, that they are properly derived and when it's all said an done - broke, mended and broke again - I'd like to know that it isn't going to last forever a toxic reminder of what was. That's something I'm happy to have in my life.

Fair Trade can make you happy to! Just give it a try. Look for Fair Trade labels and whenever possible do some research on the things you buy or shop with a retailer who does the homework for you and you can trust.


barb