From 2011 to 2016 I was pleased to be able to have done 365days where I did a kind deed every day(& 366days in the leap year)!
In 2017 I am doing it again...my aim is to inspire others into action by showing them how simple it is to do kind acts for others. I do this by doing a kind act a day. I do this by sharing my story and some ideas for living a kinder life. Kinder for others, kinder for ourselves, kinder for the planet. Welcome to 365days of kindness!
I’ve been away for the last two weeks for work. It’s been busy and crazy and messy. But I’ve met some great people and gotten to know others better.
I’ve been able to stay in some amazing houses and go to new places. Work is never boring for me.
However it has meant that I’ve been a bit off my game when it came to posting anything for two weeks. I decided to give myself a little break instead of pushing myself.
How could I profess kindness and not look after myself? It would be silly.
So I’m doing my best to be kind to myself. But it’s hard not to feel guilty.
Do you ever feel guilty when you don’t do something you said you would do? Even if you had to so you could care for yourself? I do. Often.
I think that it comes to some old beliefs about myself that no longer serve me. I often struggle with those deep seated beliefs that say “I’m not good enough” or that “I’m not worthy” of anything. It’s hard to confront that part of me. It comes to a head any time I don’t do what I say I’m going to do.
I don’t always know how to combat it. I intellectually know that I’m worthy of friendship and love. However, that little voice can be insidious.
Sometimes I really struggle with being good enough to share anything, let alone share kindness. What does this little white girl originally from Perth, Australia really know about kindness? Nothing. I’ve not done anything so great. Some of the things I’ve done no body remembers (including me) so what makes me think I’m the person to share these things? I don’t know. So I struggle.
Then I ask myself... how can I be kinder to me? If I’m putting myself down all the time, how can I be Kinder? How can I do what I do for others, but for me?
First I have to change my thinking.
Every time I hear my internal voice telling me I’m not good enough. I quietly listen and then tell it, “thank you for adding in your 2 cents worth but you, YOU are amazing.” I have to be brave.
I must admit this isn’t always successful. Those negative words are something I’ve told myself on the inside for years. So dealing with them is hard. Rebelling is hard. So I don’t. That little voice that tells me I’m not good enough also tells me it’s too hard to be kind to others let alone yourself. So I do what I can to change my thinking. I can be braver.
I listen to meditations that encourage a positive mindset and encourage kindness to the self. They work. But not all the time. When that voice is really loud I need more than affirmations.
I listen to Podcasts like “The Mindful Kind” which gives helpful tips and tricks about how to deal with that voice inside you. It helps me have a healthy outlook. The podcast offers strategies to be kind to yourself too. But you have to put those strategies in action and when I have little energy, it can be hard.
So, I watch inspiring movies that motivate me to be kinder like “Pay It Forward”. I watch “Hallmark” movies because they make me feel good so I can be nicer to myself because I feel better on the inside. Whilst some might find them a bit too mushie, I really enjoy them. I know comedy is also a great source of changing your mood (just a reminder to myself to stay away from dark humour or otherwise it feeds into my negativity).
I think these little tricks are like giving my inside self a little mental cuddle. Like you would to a friend who is struggling. Embracing the darkness to reveal the light.
When it comes to mindset with me it really comes down to providing myself with strategies that can subtly fool my inside voice into believing differently.
I’m not perfect. I need to forgive myself for that. There are ways I’m working on me being a little bit better. A little bit kinder to myself. A little bit kinder to the world.
Nobody is perfect. And the expectation that you need to be the exception to the rule is dangerous.
It’s a struggle to embrace that part of you that always criticises you and judges your choices and actions. It needs love and kindness too!
All you need to do is be Kind and Brave and you can do anything.
For the last week or so I’ve been quite unwell. Just a cold but it’s been enough for me to have a few days off work and I’m still not completely recovered.
So I’ve been taking time to rest, heal and recoup. Needless to say, I’ve been able to achieve very little apart from the bare minimum of my own life. To be kind to myself I haven’t pushed myself to get the blog out or do too much else.
Lent starts today around the world. Traditionally a Christian period of fasting, to represent the 40 days that Jesus wandered the desert and was tested before he made the ultimate sacrifice.
Lent has evolved into a time when you don’t simply have to give up foods. It is often still a test of willpower. For those who are brave, they bravely give up something they think they cannot live without. It can be anything from giving up meat, to chocolate, fizzy drinks or even social media (which a brave friend is doing this year). Lent ends on Easter Sunday, and people can enjoy their repast again.
As I grew up in the Anglican Church I’ve used lent in the past to see if I really did need certain things in my life. I’ve given up chocolate, coffee (before the days of insomnia as I’ve now given it up for good), sugar, Diet Coke or soft drinks in general, cakes and sweets, and so much more.
But another idea for observing Lent is instead of giving something up, you take up something. Like a new habit or service to others. So I thought this year I would play a little game with myself. I might not post every day but I will record and share my 40 days of kindnesses. I want people to see how simple it is to take up acts of kindness. Even if it’s just for lent. This little exercise I am hoping will be motivating for me too.
So here is day one...
It might not seem like a bit deal but some days I struggle to go on social media or even take photos. So i know it will be a challenge to me. Which is perfect for observing Lent.
Today will be a great day for so many who love Valentines Day. But it will also be a really hard day for others.
Whilst some are being showered with gifts and love, and others will be happy to avoid it all the fuss, there are some who will see the love and gifts given to others and be sad. They will be sad they aren’t getting the love and attention like that themselves. Whether it’s because their partner doesn’t believe in Valentine’s Day, or has left or passed away or they are partner-less and would like a special someone to shower with love and gifts or be showered with love and gifts. And I’m sure a few other scenarios in between.
So if you know someone who feels like they are missing out, be kind to them today. Send them a picture or a note (or a little gift if you are inclined to do so) and let them know you appreciate their friendship and love them for that.*
It could be something simple Like this:
Valentine’s Day is not just a day about romantic love, but all the kinds of love there is.
So cherish your friendships, siblings, parents, extended family, neighbours, work mates and acquaintances.
A small gesture could make someone’s day brighter.
Also, if today is a struggle for you, don’t forget to be kind to yourself too!
I hope this finds you well.
Love Daena x
Ps.
My game needed to be shared too. So cute to make a heart today of all days! ☺️ much love. Xx
PPS. Note: for those who don’t want anything to do with the Valentine’s Day, please respect the space of those who need it. Not everyone loves the occasion. Be kind to them too.
I wanted to start a new year positively with a kindness post a week. So here is to week 2! How fast has this last few weeks gone? Seriously?!
This last week has been interesting work wise and exciting in my private life.
I’ve been working on a couple of different archaeological sites this week. Plus I’ve helping another “new to the company” woman learn the ropes. Which has been both fulfilling and encouraging because I’m still relatively new myself so I find myself learning right along side this lovely lady.
As for my personal life... well my boyfriend and I today celebrated the fact we survived 6 months together as a couple. Miracles happen. Lol. Whilst I make jokes, he has really looked after me and welcomed me into his family. I spent all of my time with him and his family over Christmas. They all welcomed me in with open arms which is nice because I was so far away from my own family. He has had to learn the hard way how to care for me when I’m not well and how to deal with me when I’m tired, grumpy and inevitably emotional. He’s also had to deal with my quirks and weird sense of humour. I really appreciate this man and his support and encouragement! Thanks G!
Kindness wise I’ve been doing all kinds of things. For instance I brought cheap (reduced to £0.05 per pack of 6) Fruit mince pies to work. I can’t eat them (they are neither Celiac friendly OR AIP friendly) but I thought they would bring a smile to the faces of my colleagues. It did.
I’ve also smiled at people, complimented some, expressed gratitude for people and things that came my way, baked goodies to share, did a couple odd jobs for people, even made some much needed hot beverages for those I’ve spent time with. I even bought a mate a drink at the pub on Friday night.
I also did some things to look after myself. Or alternatively put...Be Kind to myself!!!
I had a bath, Meditated (I love the Insight Timer App), Read a book (one of many I got for Christmas), Made a yummy meal and Baked yummy food even I can enjoy.
I have a list now of things I like to do to help me improve my mood and be kind to myself. After all they do say you cannot give from an empty cup.
Maybe you can take some “Sunday Ideas” from this list above. Or you could make your own! I keep this list in my journal which I have with me all the time.
What do you like doing that fills your cup up?
What thing do you do that helps you to be kind to others?
I’m still alive and the move has gone well! Still job searching but going well otherwise. 👍🏼😍👍🏼
I wanted to share this little goodie. Since moving to the UK I have been leaving little thank you cards around to those who have helped me!!! And it turns out someone found it and posted it on Instagram. I totally wanted to tag myself in it ... then thought that the best thing was that I didn’t actually let them know it was me! So I’m sharing it here because I’m excited it made their day! Kindness can be so simple! 🙂
Love Daena x
Ps. After I hid this card under my teapot (its usually the last thing to be collected on the table) I got up and walked out. But apparently I had left my jacket behind. So they ran it out to me! I often screw up my “secret” card giving! I need to get my getaways down pat! Hehehe. #missionImpossibleThemetune #kindness #kindnessforall
Today is the day that one year finishes and another begins. Which doesn't mean much to others but it signifies a year filled with kindnesses, for me.
(Picture from Pinterest).
It means another successful year of: making people smile, donating to charities, giving something back, making cups of tea, spending time with the sad, broken or fragile in our community, sending notes of love and support to friends and family going through rough times, dancing in a giant crocodile suit to make a kid laugh (yes this actually happened this year), making mums at women's refuge's feel special by donating presents for them this Christmas, supporting and helping a community coordinator get things ready through out the year, learning lymphodema massage to teach family, dancing at a party so Tweens felt it was okay (& maybe even cool to do so), buying books for strangers, leaving cash in my favourite book at a store so that someone can buy it, singing for a good cause, driving for 8 hours with a friend so she could get to a town she wanted to visit in the countryside, spending 3 DAYS driving and travelling with my best friend to get her car to the other side of the country, paying for cups of coffee & lunch & dinners (maybe even a breakfast or two), hand making things for my friends, sitting with people and holding them as they cry, supporting friends who are doing their own 365days of kindness, giving away book marks to someone who saw mine & loved them, sending letters and postcards to a friend throughout the year so she knows someone loves her, forgiving people who made mistakes (sometimes this is the hardest thing to do), making food for people, organising events, doing the best I can, housesitting, dog walking, feeding pets (that aren't mine), leaving water out for wildlife, doing sustainable September and writing recourses so others can join me, being the best social justice advocate I can be, choosing love over hate, educating myself & others to choose love, lending music, DVDs & books to other people, making a fool of myself so someone else doesn't feel like they are alone or the only one who is clumsy, helping someone get their shopping into the car, giving hugs, putting away shopping trolleys for strangers, letting people in front of me in traffic, volunteering for charity organisations and events, running/walking 14kms to help my niece get to the end of a fun run like she wanted, talking to strangers and making them smile by the end of our conversations, staying up all night with a friend to talk because they were going through a rough time, learning another language so I can tell my friends in Germany that I love them and wish them a Merry Christmas and a happy new year, sending messages to friends all over the globe so they know I haven't forgotten them even though we are living in different places, liking & subscribing to YouTube videos & podcast of people who inspire me (so they know it), giving products and services I love good scores & leaving good feedback, giving my parking tickets (with lots of time & money on it) to strangers, and... well I'm sure there are more when I think about it! Hehehe.
Next year, I want to do more. I'm still learning how to be a better person, friend, employee, family member, community member. There is still so much kindness I can do... so much we can all do. If you are looking for a New Years Resolution why not endeavour to be KINDER.
I know I sometimes joke about how crazy it is... doing 365days of kindness! it's not crazy at all. It's often the simplest thing you can do that not only changes your life but the person you are being kind to! It doesn't have to cost money. I don't have a lot but I still make a difference with the little I have. I am often really busy and I still have a second to smile at a stranger or help some kids put chairs away after a school assembly. I don't have much but when I can I pass on the things I don't need to those that need it more than me. I occasionally have panic attacks but it doesn't stop me from treating everyone like they are people too. I've even learned this year to cook for my friend who is starting her life as a vegan (it is not as hard as it looks!).
If you have money, you can support charities, or friend who are raising for charities or even give money to strangers in completely random ways. If you have time Volunteer to do something close to your heart, you might even make a friend or two in the mean time. If you have skills, put them to use and teach others or give your time to a cause close to my heart. If you have lots of stuff you don't need on a daily basis ask yourself what could you give away or sell that could make some else's life better (I know people who sold an almost brand new washing machine for a tiny amount to someone who really needed it - then threw in some extra bits too because the family was looking for those items. It was gorgeous).
There is so much you can do. We are only limited by our imaginations!
So in 2018 365days Of Kindness begins again for me...
Making life a little kinder for our planet and all those who live here.
Welcome to Sustainable September 2017. This year I decided that I wanted to go back and look at a whole range of environmental or ‘Eco’ Kindnesses.
This blog is all about being kind to each other, kind to strangers (regardless of our differences), kind to ourselves and kind to our planet.
This one month a year I focus on how to be Kind to the planet. I have such a love for making a difference to the amazing planet that we live in and on. I want to inspire people and show them how simple Eco Kindness is.
Little changes make the world of difference. It can be as simple or complicated as you want it to be. It can be the level of participation you want it to be too. You could choose to just do Sustainable September every year, or even Plastic Free July to see if a short change works for you. It could be as simple as changing your single use water bottle for a reusable one, alternatively, you could change your whole life and choose a zero waste lifestyle. Whatever you decide to do for the environment I hope you make a few simple changes and be kinder to the planet for all of us and for all future generations.
The next three days of Sustainable September are about the three ‘traditional’ ideas of managing waste. Reduce. Reuse. Recycle.
Sustainable September Day One is Reduce. Reducing the amount of environmentally unhealthy things you bring into your lives and homes. I’m talking about Refusing Stuff, Waste, Plastics, Chemicals.
REFUSE: Last year, I wrote about the “Zero Waste Home” a book by Bea Johnson. In this book she talks about there being another level of stuff before ‘reduce’ called ‘Refuse’ (You can see this graph better in the video below). This is simply about refusing things that come into your home that you will have to thrown away in the future.
This is about refusing freebies like pamphlets, hotel shampoos, samples etc. For example: Pamphlets, if you take them then you have to get rid of them. Some are able to be recycled but not all of them. Shampoo or soaps at a Hotel/motel/Bed & Breakfast are great for an emergency, however when you take them with you unused, the likely hood of you actually using them also deminishes. they are more likely to end up in landfill unused. It seems crazy but having a stockpile of little plastic wrapped bits wont necessarily help you or the planet. If you leave them there and go prepared to a hotel (most times we know well in advance when we go to for a holiday) you help prevent sending plastic to landfill. Usually the freebie is a large amount of waste for the amount of products you receive. And even though a free pen or a free sample of perfume is lovely to receive, usually they are made out of plastics that will inevitably be sent to landfill.
Reducing the amount of things heading to landfill is what todays Sustainable September Kindness is all about.
WASTE: This section (although long) talks about the extreme lifestyle changes that some people have made to reduce the amount of Waste they produce or participate in producing.
There are two lifestyles that I have noticed work well within the “Reduce” banner of Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.
One is Zero Waste and the other is Minimalism. These can go hand in hand. The thing is that you don’t HAVE to be either Zero Waste or a Minimalist to make a difference to this planet or live an intentional life. I, personally, find them inspiring. And whilst they are the extremes when it comes to Environmentally Friendly* lives, we can learn a lot from them. (*Minimalism is not necessarily Environmentally Friendly, but it is about pairing your life to just the necessities that tend to be quality and do not deteriorate as fast).
I’ve talked about the Bea Johnson Book “Zero Waste Home” already. And slowly I am learning how to work with this framework. I still have a lot to learn and to implement when it comes to this lifestyle. But slowly I am implementing many of the actions in this amazing book. I have shared blog posts from Previous Sustainable Septembers on Zero Waste and those amazing people who are brave and crazy enough to give it a go.
Bea Johnson seems to be the most popular Zero Waster. And you can find a whole plethora of short and long videos about her on YouTube Channel. I love watching these. She is a North American so a lot of the specific Zero Waste products she talks about are not always available here in Australia but the ideas themselves are universal. You can Check out this amazing talk she gave recently to TEDxFoggyBottom called “Two Adults, Two Kids, Zero Waste”.
Bea Johnson is not the only one though, YouTube will give you more and more inspirational videos about people taking on the challenge and living Zero Waste Lives. Or even reducing what they were doing with some of the Zero Waste Principals.
Lauren Singer is another of the amazing Zero Wasters that has a heap of helpful videos on how to live a life with less waste. She does a whole heap of Q & A vlogs on YouTube if you want to check it out any further. Her channel is called TrashIsForTossers and you can check out her TEDxTeen Talk here.
I watched this video from a Vegan Vlogger “Joey’s Plate” and found it really interesting because although she is not going 100% Zero waste she has been building on what she is already doing. Reducing waste and considering thoughtfully, her impact on the environment.
Before on this blog I have talked about Minimalism. Minimalism also falls under the “reduce” section of our environmental kindnesses. Reducing what we let into our lives and living lives of intention is far more important that owning all the stuff. I have been following the two guys called “The Minimalists" for a while now. I listen to their Podcast regularly (I’m still working through their back catalogue) and I enjoy the message they have to share. They even have a documentary out at the moment on Netflix called “Minimalism: A documentary about the important things.” I watched this about 9 months ago and it cemented a whole lot of things for me.
If you don’t have netflix or you want to know more about the Minimalists check out this short video interview with the Minimalists Joshua Fields-Milburne and Ryan Nicodemus. The guys at The Minimalists talk below in their transition to minimalist and in the TedTalk they finish up talking about Waste.
These guys are not the be all and end all on Minimalism. I do love how they talk about the fact that they have one recipe of life that is working for them and they want to share it, but they also know that you can change the ingredients of the recipe to suit you own life.
Joshua Becker, another popular blogger and Minimalst gave an hour long talk called “Becoming Minimalist” about the benefits of minimalism in the talk he gave in Sweden in 2015. Joshua Becker describes Minimalism as “the intentional promotion of the things we value most and the removal of anything that distracts us from that.” And says that “Minimalism forces us to define what we really value in Life.” For a shorter video from Joshua Becker check out a shorter one here.
Some of the Benefits of minimalism are: Less Cleaning. More time. More money. More Freedom. Less Decisions (Less decision Fatigue). More Space. Less Stress. Better Environmental Impact. Higher Quality Goods. More opportunity for gratitude. Less Comparison. Contentment. Greater ability for Generosity.
In terms of Environmental Kindness. Minimalism can help us overcome consumerism by being more deliberate with the purchases we make. It is not about giving up shopping or purchasing things all together… it is about making wise and intentional choices. For example: buying things that will last longer so that we are not continually replacing & throwing away items. Instead of buying the latest “it” things we can choose a carefully curated life where we buy what we need and love.
If we can see what Minimalism can bring to our lives, the benefits and the possibilities, we can focus on more of the things we really want for our lives right now. Including adding value to others lives. This can include saving money to do extravagant Kindnesses (in my case) or to support a worthwhile charity or group who are making a difference in the world. This can also mean that we have enough time to do it.
PLASTIC: Did you know…
“Every bit of plastic ever made still exists and in the first 10 years of this century the world economy produced more plastic than the entire 1900's!” (Plastic Free July).
When it comes to reducing Plastics, it can be as simple as reducing the amount of plastic single use items that come into our lives. Making smarter or wiser choices about items we buy and things we purchase. For example, choosing a glass jar of pickles instead of a plastic jar of pickles. It can be making sure the body wash you buy doesn’t have plastic micro beads. Or choosing to buy whole potatoes to prepare instead of buying a prepackaged bag of frozen chips. It can be the difference between buying a bag of rice in a fabric bag rather than a plastic one. Choosing to go without a plastic bag at a shop for just one item. You could go extreme like the zero wasters or the Plastic Free July team and give up all plastic in almost every area in life. Making the choice to reduce that amount can make a massive difference to our planet.
CHEMICALS: A lot of Chemicals can have harmful reactions to us, as humans, as well as to many other living beings and also to the earth itself. Making choices to reduce the types of Chemicals we use on our bodies, in our homes, offices, gardens and transportations (Cars, Motorcycles, Mopeds, Buses, etc). This can make a huge impact on our general wellbeing.
Personally, I don’t feel very well after being exposed to some beauty products and a lot of ‘regular-store-bought’ cleaning products. That is not including a lot of chemicals that are used in gardens, offices and on some of the public transport that I use. My reactions can be as simple as feeling nauseous and as extreme as face or body swelling (if directly exposed), eyes watering, nose running, headaches and migraines, vomiting and fatigue. It is one of the reasons that our house has reduced the amount of chemicals it uses. If this is what these chemicals do to me on a small scare, I wonder what they are doing in large quantities to our planet.
FINALLY: In the coming month I will look at some substitutes both in cleaning and beauty products. I will even be talking about how to make these supplies simply and easily and with minimum waste.
I will also be including "Activity" ideas for you to have a hands on approach to changing your lifestype to a more sustainable and environmentally friendly one. This could be an art, craft, action or game.
ACTIVITY 1: Take a bushwalk, a walk on the beach and admire the world that you are wanting to help protect.
Last year I included an idea of how you could do a Random Act of Kindness or a simple act of kindness that vaguely related to the Sustainable September idea for the day. For those that are looking for Kindness ideas around these Sustainable September ideas... well I wanted to throw that to you. I want you to suggest as many Kindness ideas as you can think of for Sustainable September, and you can do this here or on the 365Days-Of-Kindness facebook page.
I hope you enjoy this months Sustainable September information and Blog. I have opened up a Page on my Blog (a tab at the top) that will let you access any resources from this year and previous years. So feel free to check that out too. Please note that it is a continual work in progress and an act of love. So i will be continually adding information and resources.
Hope this all helps with your Eco-Kindnesses.
Sending love,
Daena Guest x
Another day in sunny Canberra (yes I am as surprised as you are). I spent the morning taking advantage of the sunshine by sitting on the porch with my book and a cup of tea just relaxing, after all, this is my holiday.
I ate some lovely vegetarian frittata "left overs" for lunch and had fresh fruit for breakfast. Then we went out for dinner...
Being on hoiday is the best excuse to go out for dinner!
I had a roasted vegetable salad covered with pieces of Haloumi lightly dusted with crushed candied nuts on a bed of fancy lettuce. It was divine.
This was huge, delicious and filling. Not to mention vegetarian.
Not bad for a Meat Free Monday! 😍
Today's idea is simple:
Sustainable September Day 6: Catch Public Transport or Walk to Work/School/Uni/Shops.
I then went for a Walk to the local shopping centre here in Canberra, which was a 3.4km walk. And it really got me thinking, how much do we need cars? Sure they are handy but are they really worth all the hassle they give us too? I mean servicing, paying for insurances, licences for us and the car, parking fees, fuel, and the like. Sometimes it is much easier to just catch public transport. And if you are one of those lucky people who can read whilst riding public transport, you have more time to do that!!! Bonus!!!
I had a look at the Western Australian Public transport authority website. They said "Riding the bus, train and ferry is fun, fast and eco-friendly. Transperth passengers reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 232,000 tonnes a year and greenhouse gas emissions from public transport is the equivalent of one third of private cars." Perth Transit Authority 2016
Where I (usually) live in the Perth hills has been fairly limited when it comes to public transport. They run every hour but if you need to be somewhere sooner you often have to catch a super early bus just so everything connects. However, even using the car to take us a short way to the train station is better than driving the whole way to the shops/school/Uni/work/city.
It is amazing how much public transport helps things us get out and about. :)
So do some research if you are not regular public transport travellers so you know where to go and how to get there. It really is easy. I used to do this when I lived closer to the city and worked in the city. It was faster to catch the bus and train than it was to drive in because of peak hour traffic and crazy drivers. Did I forget to mention that when you don't drive you don't have to worry about crazy drivers as much from the back of a bus or on a train.
Today I walked to the shops but I caught the bus back, after all half the walk there had been downhill.
My tip for doing your shopping without a car is to take a backpack and to only buy what you can carry back with you. Which is not a bad thing to do at all!
Kindness idea: Pay for Another Persons Ticket for Public Transport.
You can do this in a Pay-It-Forward kind of way by leaving some money on a ticket machine. Alternatively you could just offer to give coins to someone who doesn't have any or give them the time left on your ticket. If you have an all day ticket and it still has time on it you could pass it someone who is getting on as you get off or someone who is waiting at a bus stop.
Front Lines: Environmentally friendly cars.
Car companies are now looking at how to make their cars more sustainable. The most popular environmentally friendly car currently available on the market is the electric car.
Tesla is currently the most popular Electric Car Company. The cars a pretty fantastic but they started by selling cars on the luxury market. So they are expensive and fancy. They are releasing cars in lower price brackets but there is currently a wait list for these cheaper cars. I must admit I love the Tesla S...
#Drool. I just need a spare $120,000. AUD to be able to buy one of these babies.
Gorgeous right? I thought you might like a bit more information about the car itself. Or maybe that is just me.
I live in hope that Electric cars will not just be things of the future but also the present. I hope they become more affordable, more common and even more sustainable. Then the human races obsession with cars might not be such a bad thing.
I hope you are enjoying Sustainable September so far. 😊
Sending love to you all,
Love Daena xx
So today my family and I were actually the recipents of a fantastic Random Act of Kindness today.
So I shared it in a video.
You will have to forgive my fluffy head and dishevelled look. I was not expecting to be going out at all today or recording a video for that matter. So I got into my comfy clothes and didnt even brush my hair this morning. I had a sleep in because I haven't been sleeping well again lately, as a kindness to myself. The cool thing was with our "Mystery Box"... this was a kindness delivered. I didn't have to leave the house except when I was checking out where the box was left (my brother-in-law found it in our carport).
So this is also a post to THANK whoever did this kind thing for my family and I.
And maybe whereever YOU are, if you know of a family in need, you could do something like this for that family. I know how much this means to me and the rest of my family.
I feel so blessed to have someone around who is supporting us, even if we dont know who it is. Because we have no idea who dropped it off. We have no idea where it came from, or what inspired this generostiy. But it does not matter who, really. We are just so grateful. So very very grateful. Thank you "Mystery Box" Fairy! :) Thank you so very much!
Much love to you all,
and in the words of Ellen "Be kind to one another!"
Love Daena x
Hey everyone,
you are probably wondering if i have fallen off the planet, of gotten lost in my own town, or something rather drastic, but im here to assure you i am still alive... and still going with my kindnesses. I just wanted to let you know i have been continuing with my kindnesses even if I'm behind posting the monthly kindnesses or weekly, or daily for that matter. SO many plans to be organised! Well they go out the window when you are so engaged with everyday life.
Anyways, part of the reason i have only been on this blog occasionally recently is there have been a few family health issues. Mum had to have another round of surgery, this time for what i love to call "routine mantainence" but she thinks i make her sound like a computer, and she apparently "isn't one"... much to my amusement (mainly because she had to clarify)! Things didn't quite go to plan, but things are slowly (and i mean SLOWLY!) getting back to normal.
My dad had a fall at his nursing home recently, and while he is not injured (apart from a sore bum apparently) it has shaking his confidence a lot, and ours a little too. Dad has been our miracle man for so long, that when he shows fragility, its kind of scarey.
I have been working in the communal garden at our set of units and have recently planted, a peach tree, thyme, basil, carrots, and keep my mint, parsely, rosemary and a crazy pumpkin (literally took over the garden) and chilli bush. My kindnesses have included giving some of our crazy pumkin plant's big pumkins to different neighbours to enjoy, after it tried to take over the pathways to all the houses. We have already got 6 pumpkins off it and its producing more by the day!! I have been helping one of the elderly residents with her planting and pruning, and she has been teaching me so much about gardening, so its a win for both of us really!
Mum and i have also realised how much "stuff" we have... its quite amazing how much "stuff" you accumulate on a day to day basis, or on a yearly basis. So we have decided to start going through things and giving away what we can and throwing away what we cant. We are shredding and then giving the paper shreddings to pet stores or to my sister for her chooks, the first lots been used in the garden as more mulch. We gave my sister and brother-in-law a bookcase today. It was hilarious because my brother-in-law and neighbour (who is ex-navy) were attaching the bookcase to the back of the car... lets just say the tears of laughter were running down my leg(jk). It was very funny.
We have also already filled up our rubbish bin to make sure that we are getting rid of as much as possible. We have been giving old clothes to people we know can use them (if they cant use them, then they pass it on). And there is soooooooo much more. Mum tires easily, so i have been keeping her plied with tea and cookies (for those who saw my recent photo of the over cook i did a couple of weeks ago... well you know what I'm talking about). It is very slow going, but its will mean that we have more time for people and less time for "stuff"... well that's the theory anyways.
I did a kindness recently that was one of my favorites. I was on my way to pick up some junk food for mum for dinner (while this was a kindness... its wasn't the only one), and i decided that i would buy dinner for the car behind me. I am blessed to have money! its not much but its enough that i can do nice things for other people and not be too worried about what happens next in terms of budget. For a long time, there was no-one behind me in the drive thru line, i was almost at the window to pay when this car pulled in behind me, with two young guy in it. I don't know who they are or what they even ate, but i asked the guy behind the counter if i could pay for the car behind me and he looked at me funny, but said sure. So I did. I got my food and drove away. I love the idea that the guys in the car behind me would have been confused but happy and that they may have done something similar for someone else... but in truth i don't know... and i never will! That's what made this one so fun! A sneaky act of Kindness... or more acurately a Random Act of Kindness. It was so simple. I didn't know kindness could be that simple, but it was. Seriously... you should try it. Its awesome! :)
On a really exciting note, I am currently planning a round the world trip! Its going to be awesome! im going to Canada (Edmonton), USA(Washington, NYC & Boston), Ireland (Dublin), England (Hull & London), Wales (Holyhead & Cardiff), France (Paris), Germany (Colgne), Italy (Rome) and Egypt (Cairo - with a 8 day tour down the Nile)! I am so very excited that the planning is going so well and i have friends & family in a lot of those places and I will get to see them again! I am so very blessed too, not many get the opportunity to travel as often as I have. If you live in any of these locations, let me know about the "must see" things I simply cant miss....
Okay... what else? i have no idea. So much has been happening that i don't know if i am here or there! But i keep my kindnesses going, as should you. Making a cup of tea or coffee for a neighbour (doesn't cost much), helping to carry a heavy load for another (its free), smiling at a complete stranger for no reason (it makes you feel good too). So many simple ways you can be kind.
Anyways, much love,
Daena
p.s the "literal kicking" comes because i am back at Karate. Last year I wasn't well enough to go very often, but i love going and I love teaching people how to protect themselves. We teach that in a dangerous situation you should run first, and only when you can't run do you stay and fight. But we want you to be prepared for both. So a lot of what we do is fitness... so you can run fast! :) I love it, and the teacher has been teaching me for almost 20 years (he's no spring chicken - but can still beat me at any competition... so lets hope he doesn't see that comment! lol). I recently got my lifetime membership (oh that is SCAREY... apparently i'm no spring chicken either! lol!). And if you are trying to figure out my age... didn't you know its rude to ask a lady her age?! lol! however if i give it to you freely... well thats a whole other kettle of fish! *Coughs* 27 *coughs*. ;)
Hey everyone,
Well, I have been promising this for months, but here is the final part to the TOP SECRET mission I have been planning for a while. Now for those of you who struggle this Christmas with everything... I wanted to give you something fun to do. This is meant in the spirit of Christmas, of love, joy, generosity and peace. And most importantly the spirit of GIVING! :)
What I would like you to do is find someone who looks like they could use a little kindness from you (that really shouldnt be too hard as its Christmas and pretty much everyone is stressed and could use a little kindness), and find a way to ANONYMOUSLY provide a Random Act of Kindness to them. This is just a little different to the usual kindnesses I do, so I am kind of looking forward to surprising a stranger.
For those of you who remember last year, around Christmas time, my little car broke down in a parking lot and a stranger bought me a bottle of wine. I was so surprised that I just loved that someone would do that for me, particularity around Christmas time when everyone is so busy and stressed about the Christmas celebrations. So i want to "Pay it Forward" but on a global scale.
If you have not seen the movie "Pay it Forward", I highly recommend it! It is a little sad in some points but it is really inspiring and very challenging! But it is an amazing movie none the less! (warning: I wouldn't watch the movie with your kids, until you have seen it first and can decide for yourselves if it is appropriate for them to watch!)
Anyways, I think I am getting a little distracted! woops!
This Christmas I wanted to encourage each and every one of you to do a Random Act of Kindness, and if possible to take a photo of that kindness so I can share it with everyone else here! and we can all see what affect this challenge has had on our world. I say, take a photo because a picture tells a thousand words and they seem to spread like wildfire on the internet (so please only share a photo that you are comfortable sharing on this page or that will eventually end up on Pinterest, Facebook or the like).
If anyone wants some ideas, I have a tonne of them on my Pinterest page here.
Or here are 16 awesome photos of Kindnesses that have been done. I love these so very much but be warned... they may make you cry! My sister asked me to include this warning, after she was in tears after about the 5th one! :)
Also, if you want to encourage others to "Pay it Forward" then you can check out the blog by Thumba-Lea where she made special tags that you can print out and pass on (they are at the very end of the blog post)! :) Such an awesome idea! :) Also she has some awesome ideas for this Kindess challenge! :)
Oh, I forgot my favorite part! As an added incentive to get your stories and kindness photos back BEFORE Christmas, I am going to give the first three people the book "The Magic" by Rhonda Byrne. If you read the previous post you know how big an impact it has had on me, and I wanted to pass on the blessing it has been in my life. I know there are people from all over the world reading this blog,
I wanted to also give away a couple of the "The Power of Kindness" however, the books have not arrived in time, they may arrive in the new year (so might have to do something like this again). One of the reasons I have sort of been stalling...
So... where was I? oh, yes! If you can send me a copy of your photo, and a little story (to go with it), and your address (privately only) so that I can sent the books to you (if you want one... if not, that's cool too)! I look forward to how awesome this will be, not to mention fun!!! If you email me at act_positive@hotmail.com or contact me through the Facebook page (I can accept private messages with the Facebook Page!), we can get these photo coming! :) So very excited! :)
I love that there are people from all over the world on this blog, and I look forward to seeing the global impact this challenge has on us all! And to getting to know my readers a little more... yes... I'm looking at you! ;)
I am planning on doing this photo Random Act of Kindness too... but I wont include my name in the book incentive part of this TOP SECRET mission... after all I already own the books! :) lol! But they are so awesome I have to share them with you all! :D
So Good luck! The last photos, to go in the book incentive challenge will be on Christmas Eve! I know that sounds a little Crazy, because it is so busy for all of us, but I think that we will all look forward to the joy we bought to others over the weeks leading up to Christmas! I will send the books out after Christmas so that they should arrive sometime in the new year (for more exotic locations, it could take a while... I don't really know what postal services are like in very many countries... so fingers crossed!). I am more than happy to keep receiving photos after that if you find you were too busy to send them to me before Christmas! :)
I look forward to hearing from you all soon,
Luv Daena xxx
p.s. If you want to hear another inspiring story of how kindness at Christmas made the world of difference, i suggest you check out this Bloggess post! it made me cry with hope and joy! :) Maybe next year we can do something like this!? let me know if you are keen! :) xx
Hey Everyone,
well this has been a very busy couple of weeks for me! I feel like a I have become a little bit of a recluse (apart from shopping for food and driving to doctors appointments), with looking after mum, having migraines, terrible bouts of insomnia, gastro (or food poisoning... not sure which), and just general "meh-ish-ness". And yes... I know "meh-ish-ness" is not an ACTUAL word... but its about how I felt this last few weeks. So I decided I needed to get back into writing on here again! Just to keep you updated and so I feel more connected to the world!
As you can tell I am still behind on last years RAKs! Over the last year and a bit I have been laboriously completing the entries in my Scrapbook, then scanning them in, then uploading. This takes ages! Some times I also have problems at one or more stages and it prevents me from getting them uploaded on this Blog. So I have been a bit of a slacker when a problem crops up! However, if you were to come to my house I could show you my beautiful scrapbook with all the pretty pictures and all my RAKs!
One thing... I need a little help! Does anyone know how to transfer
the calendar on an iPhone to the computer? I have been storing all my
latest RAKs & kindnesses on my iPhone and have been trying to figure
out a way to easily transfer things digitally! So that I will get them
up faster on here! So you can read it and see what I have been doing and
some of the funny stories or little wins I have had in the world! If
you have any ideas of how to do this please contact me!
Anyway, I just wanted to let you know I am still alive! Mum is too, which i know is a good thing! :) AND i have every intention of putting more RAKs up!
Just to prove that I can do it I will let you have the last few that I scanned in when I was last able too! So here they are...
Still a bit behind! if only it were a "bit"! lol!
Also, one of my family has pointed out that these ideas are great but that more information or stories would be great! So this year I am trying to include a little more information when I can! however, if I have been using photos and names I have been asking for permission from them. I think its nicer when they know their identity is shared, just in case they don't want it known to the world! wow... I sound like some of my friends are spy's! oh, if that were only true! lol!Then again, if they were... would I actually get to know about it? hmmm? Enough of my random musings!
I am off to finish a book and get some sleep... HOPEFULLY!
I hope all is going well with you in the world! :)
Luv Daena x
Hi everyone,
Well i have been writing this blog now for over a year and have realized that unless you know me personally, you probably know very little about me. Apart from the fact I'm a lunatic who is starting her second year of kind acts!
I am a woman (i'm pretty sure you would have gathered that by the photo at least!), and i am 26 years old! I have just completed my Master of Arts in Archaeology degree and and working occasionally for one of the Western Australian Universities.
I have a wonderful family. I have two parents (still married) and i have a special older sister (and by special i mean awesome!). Both my parents have disabilities, however both are not related to birth defects of anything and are things that they have aquired later in life!
My mum has spinal injuries which cause her to be quite ill a lot of the time (so i do a lot of kindnesses for her!). I live with her and act as her "carer". She is an amazing woman who has taught me so much! She has always encouraged me to live my dreams and challenges me to challenge myself. She is also the woman that everyone loves and asks for advice or help. And even with her disability she doesn't let that stop her and she does the best she can for everyone she possibly can! I am inspired by her and what she puts up with and what she achieves as a result. I kind of find it funny when she tells me she feels like she isn't making a difference in the world! You just have to look at the people shes supported and she makes all the difference in the world!! She will often also do random acts of kindness with me, or as well as me! I love my mum so very much! Thanks Mrs Guest! :)
My dad is in a high care facility with a rare and debilitating brain disease called CerebralAmyloidAngiopathy (yes that is a mouthful to say!). For those interested in reading about it you can check out this link:http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001735/
This disease causes my father to have mini strokes and have FrontoTemporalDementia (yes i like my big words!).However, this disease was only diagnosed in the last 5 years.
My father is/was an extraordinary man! He used to do so much for me and my sister that he was always considered our "House-Dad". He, coming from the country where he grew up in a country town, used to treat everyone as friends. He would bring home strange and interesting people he had met in his adventures, he would talk to people all over the world on the computer (my dad was one of the first people to have internet access in his area). He made/makes friends easily. He used to do what we call "bread runs". which basically means that he would collect the day old bread from local bakery's (that they couldnt sell that day) and take them to families in need and to halfway houses and shelters. He did this everyday for about 6 years, then he cut down a little as more people offered to help. Our little old car used to smell like bread as a result! My father supported Indigenous churches and he would sit and have a chat with the "bum" in the city, usually buying a cup of coffee to share with them. He has always challenged me to treat everyone equally and to share what little we had with everyone. He is part of the reason that i started doing this project!
My dad is still a great man, even though the disease has affected him alot, sadly. I still love him and visit him regularly... so often you will see little notes about visiting the nursing home. Or me talking to people there! I have discovered that even a kind word or gesture can be enough to make one of those other patients smile, as they rarely get visitors! I have come to love some of dads fellow "inmates" (as he calls them) and love to chat to them or give them "lifts" in their wheel chairs to the dining room for dinner. Thanks Dad for the love and support even from the comfort of your bed! :)
So enough about my parents... they are awesome! What more could you possibly want to know!? lol. Apart from the fact that they gave birth to me! :) hahaha!
Well, I have an older sister! V is about 3 inches shorter than me so i call her my "little sister" even though she's almost 6 years older than me. She is married to G who is a wonderful guy and en excellent brother-in-law! Both of them have supported me through so much in my life. Including letting me live with them when I was 17 for a few months, when dad first got sick. My darling sister V helps me run the Project 25 Page on Facebook! And i am grateful for all the things she has found that encourage me to keep going! Thanks guys! I am very grateful for everything!
V& G have two lovely kids, a boy AJ (whos 7 and three quarters) and a girl AV (who is almost 4 but thinks she 30... oh and she thinks shes the queen!). Both kids crack me up and are beautiful kids! AJ sat me down the other day to share all the Kind deeds he had done so i could write them in my book! And AV is such a funny little munchkin but when the time for hard work is come she's right in there with the rest of them. I love them dearly and they seem to think I'm the coolest thing since sliced bread, which is nice for the ego! lol!
That is my immediate family! But i have some awesome "aunties" who with their families treat me and mine like we are blood! These people are so treasured that without them i would probably not have done half the stuff i have done or wanted to do!
One encourages me verbally supporting me & my mum emotionally! She has also found every article written about Kindness for me! You are a champion! She has done a million kindnesses for us all that she may never know and she sends the ones she intentionally does to me for Project 25 so that i can be inspired too! :) She has supported me financially, emotionally and even physically. She does RAKs and kindnesses for those around her! And the love with which she gives them is profound!
One of my other "aunties" is so awesome she let me live in her house for a few years whilst she lived in a country town. She has supported me financially and practically over the years. She is one of the most practical people i know! She also leads by example. She is the one who in previous notes i have written about as she just makes quilts! And by "makes quilts" i mean she made almost 100 of them last year alone for the neonatal clinic at one of the hospitals. The quilting group she belongs to makes them for the postnatal deperession unit, as each new mum gets to take a quilt home with them. Apparently they are not in as much demand now, as they have a large stockpile! :) But she keeps making quilts, as its something she loves to do and that she can freely give to someone. i find it funny that she also doesn't consider what she does as Kindnesses or RAKs. She does it as its fun for her and it can practically help someone out!
There are so many people who help inspire me with what they do and who they are for me. I am so very greatful!
I wanted to share this because even though i have been writing about what i'm doing, I haven't been writing about who I am! and I am my family! They love me, cherish me and encourage me to do stuff that no ordinary person would do!
Like my mum dared me to shave my initials into the back of my hair when i was 12 and i did it! Well... maybe not all the things i have done have been such a brilliant idea! lol! But i will do things for a laugh or to prove those who say i cant do it that i can! I'm pretty stubborn. But I'm also passionate, creative and encouraging. I know that not all of my qualities are what everyone fit with but i try to follow my fathers example and treat everyone equally. Regardless of the skin color, sex, creed, religion, race, age or sexual orientation, i try to encourage and love those that i meet to the best of my ability.
I don't always succeed but like 365days of kindness... i take one day at a time and do the best I can!
Well now that i have written an essay about my life and family (even those NOT blood related) i hope you might understand what i do and why i do it a little more.
Thank you for reading this, and if you know me a special thanks for the support!
Cheers,
Daena Guest
Well in an attempt to clear the back log, I am uploading the August RAKs here too! So i hope you like!
I have found it quite satisfying to have been able to write out my RAKs in my "Scrapbook". Not only does it act like a diary for me (as i don't keep a regular one of my own) it reminds me of all the different things YOU CAN DO for others. I know that some people believe that one person can make a difference, and i agree but the more people we have making a difference, no matter how small, the difference happens faster! I ask that if you want to make a difference like me, that you make a small commitment to doing so. It doesn't have to be something as crazy as doing a WHOLE YEAR of kindness but if you make a commitment and stick to it, you too can make a differnece in your community!
I love hearing about what others are doing in their own homes, towns, cities and countries! So please, if you have done a kind deed for another and want to share it with me I would love to hear about it! As i am sure a lot of others would too. That's why i originally created the group Project 25 - Random Acts of Kindness, so we could share our kind deeds together and inspire each other to make a difference!
You can use the - Project 25 Facebook Page and share your good deeds there or in the comment section of this blog. You can also email the Project 25 Email address.
I hope you are enjoying the ideas and the journey i have been on! Its been hard, challenging and most of all fun and rewarding!
Thanks for all the support so far and i look forward to hearing from you in the future!
Cheers,
Daena x
My game needed to be shared too. So cute to make a heart today of all days! ☺️ much love. Xx
