Random Acts of Art

     Last week my daughter and I installed this random act of art in our neighborhood park. She's been on a painting kick and I had been inspired by other random acts of art I had seen on Pinterest. Since I don't knit, yarn bombing wasn't an option. We used recycled items to make flowers and butterflies. We certainly had fun creating it and I hope that seeing it made someone else smile. That was the point after all. I've noticed it's starting to fall apart now so I will be taking it down soon. It was only meant to be temporary. Maybe if you are feeling glum due to all this rainy weather we've been having you'll be inspired to go create your own random act of art and make someone else's day. For more inspiration check out my kindness board on Pinterest. I've pinned several fun random acts of art. So go ahead. Get artsy and bring a smile to someone's face.

A Little Encouragement Goes a Long Way

     Last week I talked about how something as simple as a smile can work wonders. It can brighten some one's day and be quite contagious. A few weeks ago I was out for a run and I tried to make it a point to smile at every person I met.  It ended up being the best run ever. I wasn't fast and I didn't go far but I came back on an amazing high that wasn't just from running. Not only did I get plenty of smiles back but also encouragement for trying to get in shape. It may be one of my favorite things about running. The cheering and support I get from people on the road. Sometimes it's friends and neighbors but just as often I get "Good for you's" from random strangers and I have to admit it feels wonderful. In fact, that day I got so much encouragement on the road I ended up running almost an additional half mile more than I had planned. So what if we all tried to encourage other people who we saw doing a good job? You may not be comfortable saying it to a complete stranger but we all know a friend or family member who could benefit from hearing what a great job you think they are doing. Sometimes it's just what we need to keep going.

photo credit: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/rueful/8065467654/">Key Foster</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/">cc</a>

All it Takes is a Smile

     Let's begin by thinking small.  When we think about making the world a better place we can become overwhelmed at the sheer magnitude of what lies before us, but do not be discouraged.  The smallest display of kindness can do more than we could ever imagine.  It may not brighten an entire day, but it will surely brighten the moment.  The simple act of smiling at another person can do wonders, not just for the person receiving the gesture but for you as well.  A smile can sometimes seem difficult to manage but I have found that a forced smile will often become genuine when one is received in return.  My favorite smiles are the unexpected ones though.  When you smile at someone who you are fairly certain will not smile back, but then they blow you away with the most beautiful smile, as if they were just waiting for someone to share with.  A smile will probably not move any mountains but it could be the beginning of something extraordinary.


photo credit: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/abhiomkar/4520333403/">abhiomkar</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/2.0/">cc</a>