Hi, and welcome to your Daily Mindfulness.

Today, I'm going to talk about

the power of doing one kind act.

So you know, as we go about daily

life, we're often very absorbed

in our own concerns, our own

task list and our own desires.

So sometimes we really don't give

too much thought to what other

people might be going through

or what they might want or need.

Perhaps we feel we're just too

busy to really take the time to

notice those people around us.

But if we can open up our circle

of concern a little bit, we find

that there are many opportunities

to be kind to others sprinkled

throughout every single day of life.

Sometimes it might be the simplest gesture

of letting another car in on a busy

road, smiling at a stranger, offering

your seat to someone on public transport

when they look like they need it.

Other times it might be dropping

over to a friend's house who's been

feeling down or offering support

to a neighbor who needs a hand.

I think we often underestimate

the power of our kind acts.

But it's important to remember that

even the smallest act of kindness

can mean the world to somebody else.

So I recall a time in my own life

where I had just gone through a

breakup and I was really incredibly

heartbroken and shaken up.

I was having a hard time just getting work

done, and I was feeling kind of lonely.

And there was one particular

day that was really hard.

And I heard a knock at the door and

opened the door and a girlfriend

of mine had turned up with a

smoothie and a bunch of flowers.

Another time I was on a train and

someone, at one of the, the train

kind of jolted and someone behind

me spilt their very hot coffee down

one side of my face and my shoulder.

And it was actually, I was in a lot

of pain and they just walked away.

But a stranger who watched all

of this, I was stuck in my seat.

I couldn't move, and a stranger

who saw this, went and got some

ice and gave it to me with a smile.

And both of these gestures,

I've never forgotten.

In, in a moment of pain, it

was like their kindness wrapped

my pain in love and soothing.

These kind acts reminded me of the

goodness and beauty in the world and

lifted my mood and reminded me that

everything was going to be okay.

An act of kindness like these can

strike right to the heart of someone

and have a ripple effect that

extends far beyond just that moment.

In fact, the research shows that

receiving acts of kindness makes

us more likely to be kind in turn.

So you really never know just

how far one kind act can spread.

As Amelia Earhart once said, "A

single act of kindness throws out

roots in all directions and the

roots spring up and make new trees."

So my invitation for today.

Try looking for opportunities

to be kind to others.

Be a little more attentive to the

people around you and extend your

circle of concern to them and see

if you can do at least one kind act.

I hope you enjoy this practice.

And I think you'll find that the kindness

that you share always ends up being a

gift that we also give to ourselves.

So thank you for your practice

and your presence here with us.

And let's begin to settle in

now, but today's meditation.