VIBE is making kindness contagious in February

Throughout February, VIBE will be focusing on promoting kindness as Random Acts of Kindness week runs February 14-20.

“Our VIBE school activities will focus on making kindness to others and ourselves a priority, not only for the month but year-round,” said VIBE Coach, Kari Thompson.

Students can make thank you notes for staff or community workers, small gifts or works of art to give others (or to leave in random places for others to find), leaving anonymous notes for people with kind messages, or even just holding the door open for someone.

“They could even help someone with their work or job – it can be any act, big or small, that makes a positive difference for someone else,” said Thompson.

“This can lead to increased happiness, greater self-confidence, and improved social skills.”

She said they are encouraging everyone (adults and kids alike) to make daily lists of an act of kindness that they intend to perform and then reflect on that action after it was completed, noting how it made them feel and how they may think the other person receiving is feeling.

Kindness toward yourself involves showing yourself compassion and making self-care a priority.

“Practicing self-compassion has been shown to increase our mental health and happiness. We need to love and care for ourselves just as we love and care for others,” said Thompson.

It is important to consider your physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, and social health, she said, which can help improve your resilience in times of stress or difficulty.

“Our ability to function and excel in all areas of our lives are tied to our overall health,” said Thompson.

To stay healthy she said people don’t just go to the doctor – they can pay attention to their sleep, exercise, nutrition, make a habit of reading or doing puzzles, talk to others, attend counselling, spend time in nature, nurture their relationships through conversations or time spent, as well as practice meditation or mindfulness.

VIBE services schools in Vermilion, Kitscoty, Marwayne, Dewberry, Clandonald, Mannville, Innisfree and Wainwright. For ideas on how to spread kindness for both adults and children, you can visit https://www.randomactsofkindness.org/, or for tips on self-compassion you can visit Greater Good in Action at https://ggia.berkeley.edu/