Making a Difference

Something that I have challenged myself to do lately is to continuously seek out opportunities to do intentional acts of kindness. I think sometimes we fail to realize how much the little things really matter.

My love language is Words of Affirmation, give and receive (although physical touch is in a close second), so to me something as simple as an encouraging text, a card, or a "you're awesome!" can brighten my whole day.

I have 2 boxes on my dresser that are full of cards that I have received over the years. One of my boxes is all of my things from my cancer journey and the other box is everything else.  I think I started saving them once I got into high school.

This all started when I heard about Make-a-Difference Monday my senior year of high school. I would intentionally go to the Starbucks drive thru so that I could pay for the person behind me. This was always my favorite act of kindness because of the anonymous factor coming from both sides, but that was quite expensive. So when I stopped doing that coming into college, I feel like my acts of kindness just stopped.

I am changing that this year though. I am constantly looking for people I can bless in some way. Whether I know them really well or not, I want people know that there are people who care and willing to be of encouragement.

I have sent flowers anonymously to a friend that has been so supportive in this hard season of my life. I sent a gift card to someone who I have never met, but have been incredibly inspired by because she is going through a tough battle herself. I saw someone that I don't know but know her name, crying in the quad the other day, and sent her an anonymous card in campus mail to let her know that she is loved. Last night I was extremely exhausted, but I stay up an extra hour writing out 12 different cards to people I think are awesome.

I do these things not because I want recognition of any sort, but because I want others to know that they are valued, cared for, and loved. I do these things because I am a firm believer that even the smallest act of kindness can completely change the way someones day is going.

I am writing this post because I want to challenge you to make a difference, too.

"Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around."