This week, the Westborough community celebrates its second annual Kindness Week, sponsored by Westborough Connects, to shine a spotlight on the good and inspire people to spread kindness through their own actions. The fun and inspiring activities include using sidewalk chalk to share positive messages around town, making luminaries with messages of kindness, meditations to cultivate an attitude of gratitude and many more.
When you look up kindness in the thesaurus, many other words come up alongside it: concern, care, consideration, affection, warmth, selflessness, understanding, neighborliness, generosity, just to name a few. When you think of kindness, and read these words, what are the first thoughts that pop into your mind?
Kindness is the simplest form of service we can provide to those around us and the world at large. These acts of kindness do not have to be any one grand gesture. They can be as simple as sharing a smile or a compliment, holding the door for someone, or lending a helping hand to a friend.
At times, it is hard to believe that we as one person, can help shape the world around us. We think we need to come up with some big invention, donate millions of dollars, cure diseases. But in reality, all we need to do is be kind. Think about it. Think about a time when the cashier behind the check-out line smiled at you, asked how your day was, or complimented you on something. Or perhaps someone in front of you in the drive-thru paid for your morning coffee. Did you notice that little extra spring in your step afterwards? Did you smile to yourself, and walk away feeling a little lighter and looking forward to the day at hand? Perhaps, we showed up that day whether at work, school, or home, just a little happier and in turn, those around us felt better. All because of one, simple gesture of kindness and it can have a ripple effect on the world around us.
Acts of kindness and lifting others up is a fundamental component of well-being and community. Here at Release, we pride ourselves on creating a kind atmosphere for all that enter our community. This can be seen in the way that our staff and members cheer each other on and offer support both in the studios and in the hallways. Through the conversations our spa providers have with their clients before and after their services, getting to know them, and providing them with advice and knowledge on how they can better support their bodies or skin. It is in the way our staff uplifts and supports each other both professionally and personally through the good times, and the tough times. It is the little dish of candy behind the front desk that magically seems to refill itself every week. Or the fresh flowers that keep re-appearing in the office for all to enjoy. It is the friendly waves, the good mornings, the hellos, the “how has x,y,&z been working out for you”, the “how is your family, give them my best”, and the smiling eyes above the masks.
It is all of these tiny little gestures that make the difference. We hope you will join us as we celebrate not just during Westborough kindness week, but every week after. Each one of us has this power to shape the world. Keep smiling and keep kind!