Spreading Kindness While on a Budget

Carol hugs a dear friend.

One day long ago when I worked in corporate, the accounts manager on my team, a woman who's name I could barely remember, called after me. I turned around to see her approaching me with open arms.

Apparently she'd opened the gift I left for her, and after she gave me a genuine squeeze, she thanked me and said, "Even if you hadn't put anything in the card, your words were sweet enough."

Perhaps you aren't as well off as you'd like to be right now. You have a heart to give, but you don't have the resources. Maybe you feel so broken and empty, you don't feel that you even have much to offer in the way of advice.

Trust me, I've been there. But you know what I'm learning? Your time, your presence, your laughter, your words, your spirit; it's enough.

Someone somewhere needs you to just be yourself. To speak your mind or sing off-key, to dance in the grocery store or wave at strangers. Someone is watching you; someone is living through you. You are enough.

Someone is being inspired. Someone is being empowered. Someone is finding freedom. Someone is shedding shame. By simply being your unique and authentic self, you tap into the power to change your environment and the people in it.

We don't need to offer stuff in order to be a gift, especially now. We just gotta show up and share our hearts as best we can. And I keep forgetting that sometimes, a simple kind word or a warm embrace will do the trick.

What's your favorite way to spread kindness?