I love random acts of kindness no matter how big or small. Even a very simple act of kindness such as a friendly and warm hello by a stranger or a sweet compliment can have a significant impact on someone’s life at the moment and brighten someone’s day dramatically.

I have been severely depressed and completely hopeless for most of the last three weeks not for any one specific reason; it’s just my depressive disorder acting up. My emotions have been fluctuating back and forth mostly consisting of severe and deep emotional pain and despair and then feelings of complete and utter numbness that won’t let me feel at all. Sometimes I feel that the numbness is worse than the deep emotional pain.

I have lost interest in everything and have been experiencing memory and concentration difficulties.

The one good thing though is that unlike my typical recurrent episodes of severe depression, during this one I am able to sleep well for the most part even though this episode is quite severe and debilitating. It has taken a physical toll on my body and occasionally leaving me bed-ridden. 

I have recently received some sweet compliments and comments by strangers which have lifted my mood dramatically.

One day on a bus recently, a sweet old man told me he likes my hair. He wasn’t trying to hook up with me or receive anything in return; all he wanted was to reach out in kindness and let me know that. And another day recently another sweet man smiled at me and said hello and that he hopes I have a great day while we crossed each other’s paths walking up the street. I have never seen him before that and his smile and tone of his voice was so genuine and caring.

This also uplifted me. No act of kindness is in vain and always has the potential to brighten someone’s day.

I love witnessing acts of kindness also, even ones I, myself, am not involved in. I find this deeply inspirational.

I know that sometimes when people receive an incredible act of kindness, it can be quite shocking to the receiver or the witness. They don’t expect that a stranger would ever be that kind or generous and loving to a person that is unknown to that stranger.

TI hope that many, many more people can be inspired to want to go out of their way and help someone in need, whether the person in need is a stranger, friend, family member, or anyone else. When you see someone on the street who may need help, it would be amazing to stop and ask if that person needs anything even if it may be putting you out for a while.

If someone in line gets up to pay and doesn’t have enough money, it may put you out a couple of dollars to help but it can uplift that person dramatically. And it’s worth it!!

Some people say acts of kindness are not really selfless because the person feels good helping someone. And feeling good is a reward. But just that fact that someone feels good helping someone not expecting any tangible reward in return shows how selfless that person is. ❤

While it’s true that some people may be ungrateful and bitter when someone tries to help, I believe it’s still worth the risk. Many people will be helped and thankful for your kindness and if they aren’t, you can just grant their wishes and back off. But the fact that some people will be ungrateful does not mean that we shouldn’t reach out to people.

I also find that interacting with people helps greatly even though it doesn’t completely lift the depression.

There were days I felt like I couldn’t go to work. But I wasn’t able to take off so I had to force myself to go feeling sickly and heavy all over. But once I started to interact with customers it got so much better.

Depression often makes us want to withdraw and curl up in bed or on the floor and completely give up on everything. But that just feeds into the depression and worsens it. It is much better to get up and get out and do anything other than isolate ourselves.

We don’t have to act happy when we aren’t but we should definitely gently and firmly get ourselves out of bed and do something.

I got to see my good friend recently. And that helped me a lot. We went out for tea one night. He is away for a while doing work in another country so I cannot see him much but I love when he gets to visit back home for a while. ❤

I hope anyone out there who is struggling with any kind of pain or illness whether it’s physical or emotional can find consolation quickly and engage in activities that are healing and uplifting and remember to never give up even when it feels like the pain or sickness or fatigue will not end. My recurrent episodes usually feel permanent but they never are. They always end and the genuine happiness in the middle of episodes is worth waiting and holding on for.

Even when it all feels so hopeless, it really isn’t.  

Moods change. They come and go. Even mood disorders such as depression and bipolar disorder and others are not permanent or written in stone. People with them can find relief. Even if we have recurrent episodes, we also can find happiness and relief in the middle.

“I can make it through the rain I can stand up once again on my own And I know that I’m strong enough to mend And every time I feel afraid I hold tighter to my faith And I live one more day and I make it through the rain” ~Mariah Carrey ♥

“I’ll be back in the high life again All the doors I closed one time will open up again

I’ll be back in the high life again

All the eyes that watched me once will smile and take me in” Steve Winwood ♥

“And I’ll drink and dance with one hand free

Let the world back into me

And o I’ll be a sight to see

Back in the high life again” ~Steve Winwood ♥

“I’ve been sad And have walked bitter streets alone And come morning There’s a good wind to blow me home” ~Steve Winwood ♥

“Remember there’s no such thing as a small act of kindness. Every act creates a ripple with no logical end.”

Scott Adams (1957)

“To be rich in admiration and free from envy, to rejoice greatly in the good of others, to love with such generosity of heart that your love is still a dear possession in absence or unkindness – these are the gifts which money cannot buy.”

Robert Louis Stevenson (1850-1894)

“There are realities we all share, regardless of our nationality, language, or individual tastes. As we need food, so do we need emotional nourishment: love, kindness, appreciation, and support from others. We need to understand our environment and our relationship to it. We need to fulfill certain inner hungers: the need for happiness, for peace of mind — for wisdom.”

Swami Kriyananda [J. Donald Walters] (1926)

“No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted. ”

Aesop

“I have this theory that if one person can go out of their way to show compassion, then it will start a chain reaction of the same. People will never know how far a little kindness can go.”

Rachel Joy Scott (1981-1999)

“Kindness is an inner desire that makes us want to do good things even if we do not get anything in return. It is the joy of our life to do them. When we do good things from this inner desire, there is kindness in everything we think, say, want and do.”

Emanuel Swedenborg (1688-1772)

“Perhaps you will forget tomorrow the kind words you say today, but the recipient may cherish them over a lifetime. “

~ Dale Carnegie

“Kindness is a language which the deaf can hear and the blind can read.”

~ Mark Twain

“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.”

~ Leo Buscaglia

“When you are kind to others, it not only changes you, it changes the world.”

~ Harold Kushner