“Doing good is a simple and universal vision. A vision to which each and every one of us can connect and contribute to its realisation. A vision based on the belief that by doing good deeds, positive thinking and affirmative choice of words, feelings and actions, we can enhance goodness in the world.”
Shari Arison
2021 has been another difficult year in so many ways. We have suffered with uncertainty, anxiety, isolation and challenges with our financial situation, health or relationships. One thing that can hold us together and help us get through is kindness. Although we can’t change our situation, we can choose to respond to others (and ourselves) with kindness. And when we’re kind, everything goes better. We help others, we help ourselves and we encourage others to be kinder too.
Podcast: Good Life Project
What does it mean to live a good life? What’s the role of happiness, meaning, work, love, purpose, kindness, friendship, and more? How do status, circumstance, gender, privilege, race, identity, and more play into the quest to live your best life? These are the questions and topics we explore every week in conversation with leading voices in art, science, industry, and culture, from Brené Brown, Matthew McConaughey, & Bishop Michael Curry, to Austin Channing Brown, Glennon Doyle, Julián Castro, & hundreds of others. You can listen to the podcast here.
TEDTalks: The power of kindness | Orly Wahba
Orly Wahba takes us on a personal journey; from the dream of a young child to change the world through the power of kindness, to the obstacles and challenges that helped her transform it into reality. Orly Wahba is an educator, entrepreneur, and community activist passionate about inspiring and motivating people to make the world a kinder place. In 2011, Orly founded Life Vest Inside, a non-profit organization with a mission to empower and unite the world with kindness. Through Life Vest Inside, Orly encourages people to embrace the incredible power of giving and recognize that in times of hardship, kindness, like a life vest, keeps the world afloat. You can watch the talk here.
Yoga: YouTube
BE KIND | Yoga with Adriene – This is a restoring yoga session all about mindfulness and bringing the body to a state in which you feel supported and chill. Invite your mind to quiet and your nervous system to be calm. This quick practice drops most of the poses to home in on the idea that by merely showing up you are demonstrating a beautiful grand act of kindness.
Watch: My Story – Flossie The Beach Cleaner
Follow Flossie Donnelly, a 12-year-old Dubliner, on her mission to clean up beaches. Flossie travels to Indonesia to visit one of the world’s dirtiest rivers and learns that solving the plastic problem is a very hard task. Available on the RTE Player.
Poetry: Slip of the Tongue
‘Slip of The Tongue’ is Imelda May’s stunning debut poetry EP. ‘Slip of the Tongue’ is an intriguing introduction to her impressive skill as a poetic storyteller. On this daring new EP with a sensuous female power at its core, she invites fans old and new on a journey, with her voice as the guide. You can listen to the EP here.
Meditation: YouTube
10 Minute Guided Loving-Kindness Meditation for Self, Self-Love, and Self-Compassion – We often practice loving-kindness meditation with others in mind but how often do we wish and think these same positive and compassionate thoughts to ourselves? In this short ten-minute guided practice, we use metta meditation to invoke feelings of joy, compassion, love, and empathy towards ourselves. Before we can love anyone, we must learn to love ourselves.
Spotify: Do Good December
Music is an amazing thing. The songs you listen to can change the way you see the world. If you need a little more motivation turning up this playlist is perfect!
Netflix: The Blind Side
The story of Michael Oher, a homeless and traumatized boy who became an All-American football player and first-round NFL draft pick with the help of a caring woman and her family. You can watch the trailer here.
App: OLIO
OLIO is a sharing app for food and non-food items. Sign up and post your wares. Then (usually within the hour) someone will request the items and turn up to collect. There’s no requirement to meet people at your house if you don’t want to. You can arrange a public meeting or drop off the item yourself. The app uses your location to match you with others in the immediate area. You can choose to widen the search if you wish, but the idea is to keep it local. OLIO wants you to reuse, recycle, and form new ties within the community. It’s also possible to request items through OLIO. Available for free on iOS and Android.
For the Children: Wonder
After being home-schooled all his life, a boy with facial differences attends a traditional school, where he must find friends among his bullies. Available on Netflix (rated PG).
Read: The War for Kindness, Jamil Zaki
In this ground-breaking book, Jamil Zaki shares cutting-edge research, including experiments from his own lab, showing that empathy is not a fixed trait—something we’re born with or not—but rather a skill that can be strengthened through effort. He also tells the stories of people who embody this new perspective, fighting for kindness in the most difficult of circumstances.
Spotify: Merry Christmas
Get into the festive spirit with this playlist.
The Mindful Traveller 