October 12, 2025: Curating Kindness
“Curating your mind and heart is the most powerful form of self-care—you are the artist of your own inner world.”– Unknown
The traditional definition to” curate” something” is to carefully select, organize and look after a particular set of items, as in a library or museum. But what if we choose to move away from this definition, and explored cultivting our own thoughts and behaviors to achieve a more compassionate, kinder and peaceful state of being for ourselves and others.
In a modern world, where compassion, and its resulting practice of kindness, seems lost admidst the daily bombardment of both horrifying and negative news, this loss can foster a sense of alienation, anger and judgement of others. The ongoing conflict in our country and around the world, can lead to feelings of despair, depression and feeling of helplessness. But current research has shown that performing acts of kindness can impact us both emotionally, mentally and physically.
‘Being considerate, helpful and thoughtful are the core qualities of kindness. People who have these qualities improve the lives of those around them and, in general, enjoy better health due to the biological changes that occur while being kind. Studies indicate that simply witnessing acts of kindness can have positive side effects. Kindness can increase self-esteem, empathy and compassion, and improve mood. Kindness can increase your sense of connectivity with others, which can directly impact loneliness, improve low mood and enhance relationships in general.’
In the field of psychiatry, research has also shown that performing simple acts of kindnes may help reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety. In one study, the authors wrote, “Acts of kindness may more effectively improve social connection and related dimensions of well-being than prevailing cognitive behavioral therapy techniques,” https://www.psychiatry.org/news-room/apa-blogs/mental-health-benefits-simple-acts-of-kindness
If we know the benefits of kindness how do we curate this? To curate a behavior, it involves a thoughtul intention to choose the actions, habits and responses that will reflect what we hope to achieve. If we want more kindness in the world, we need to be more kind. Not only to others, but to ourselves as well. This can be a challenge, especially in a time when so many are divided by political controversies.
Every day, we are faced with an array of choices, from simple ones like what to eat or wear, all the way to how we should we act or what to say in challenging situations, with members of our family and/or community. When we encounter others who might have beliefs that defy our understanding, we can choose to practice empathy, and try to understand their perspectives; rather than be filled with both judgement and resentment. As an alternative, we can perform simple acts of kindness. In these devisive, troubled times where the sense of isolation can be pervasive, It’s vitally important to look out for each other, in and around our communities.
When we’re feeling hopeless, we can look around for an opportunity to be kind, increasing our own sense of light and positivity in the darkness of daily news. In my research on the impact of kindness, I discovered a wonderful site with 50 creative suggestions on acts of kindness that we can choose to cultivate https://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/explore-mental-health/kindness-and-mental-health/random-acts-kindness,
These simple acts, ranging from saying good morning with a smile to a colleague, all the way to hosting an informal get together for your neighbors to get to know each other, are ripples that will make a difference, not only to someone else, but to ourselves as well. What ways can you be kind today?
Thank you for taking the time to read my blogpost. I welcome your thoughts and invite you to share it with someone who might need a little kindness in their lives as well. I’ve included some inspirational quotes on kindness. If you have additional ones that inspire you, share them in the comments below.
In Peace and Harmony,
Wendy Oellers-Fulmer
Inspirational Quotes on Kindness
“Kindness is like snow—it beautifies everything it covers”
—Kahlil Gibran
“Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless”
—Mother Teresa
“Wherever there is a human being, there is an opportunity for a kindness”
— Alexander Hamilton
“Kindness in words creates confidence. Kindness in thinking creates profoundness. Kindness in giving creates love”
—Lao Tzu
“Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle”
—George S. Kaufman
“Imagine what our real neighborhoods would be like if each of us offered, as a matter of course, just one kind word to another person.”
—Mr. Fred Rogers
“How do we change the world? One random act of kindness at a time”
Morgan Freeman