“Where there is kindness,
there is goodness,
and where there is goodness,
there is MAGIC.”
I think that was one of the BEST lines in Cinderella that really resonated with me.
Kindness seems to be a lesson i’m perpetually honing in on the past few months, even before the movie came out. It’s just been coming at me from all directions, as if Life is nudging me to develop it ASAP.
Before one can be kind to others, one must be kind to oneself.
It has to start internally before it can be projected externally.
I’ve started being kinder to myself… and to stop mentally beating myself up so badly when i think i haven’t done something perfect enough. It’s initiated by speaking to myself in a gentler tone in my head, as if to a small child.
And then the challenges come when mustering up kindness during points of frustration+anger at people for work. I try to calm myself down by taking deep breaths and remembering to be kind. There is a Sufi saying i saw twice on instagram that struck me:
Before you speak, let your words pass through three gates.
At the first gate, ask yourself ‘Is it true.’
At the second gate ask, ‘Is it necessary.’
At the third gate ask, ‘Is it kind.’
I mentally repeat this to myself every time i’m faced with a trying situation and my tongue itches to lash out. Try it for yourself to gauge when you should or shouldn’t say something when you’re pissed off. It’s hard!
Even in Disney’s Bambi (which i have tattooed on my ankle), there is a lesson on kindness >
Mrs. Rabbit cautions her son: “Thumper!”
Thumper: Yes, mama?
Mrs. Rabbit: What did your father tell you this morning?
Thumper: *clears throat* If you can’t say something nice… don’t say nothing at all.
Hee hee! If Thumper can behave well, why can’t we!?
A different type of kindness, is to be kind even when you don’t need to, and it’s because you WANT to.
A great example is one i saw on Yishyene‘s FB today:
How lovely is she?! It’s all about paying it forward these days. Pass it on and on and the love & kindness will multiply!
On my end, i thought about how my strength (as a Connector) lies in the number of wonderful people i know, and decided to sow seeds for random acts of kindness. So at my personal expense, i got cards designed and sent out along with sparkly metallic garlands (cos they make me smile) for friends to give away.
I’m really happy that Walt Disney Studios Malaysia supported my idea,
allowed me to use their Cinderella logo on the cards i sent out,
and include it in this blogpost for them which i’m giving away tickets to Cinderella for! #achievementunlocked
I had so much fun and felt so happy writing out cards to everyone, i sighed to Baby, “If only all i needed to do for work was to write cards to people all day!”
Just look at those bundles of happiness!
Days later, we started noticing updates on Instagram…
When i read about how Aishah got her daughter Soraya to pass it on instead of keeping it for herself, my heart melted AWWWW. I couldn’t help sending Soraya another one just for herself and wrote the card out to say she’s a good little girl and signed off as the fairy. SO MUCH FUN!! *GRINS WIDELY*
Other updates from friends:
I sent to some friends from myself, and they hung it around their office:
Poor Henry on the right must be like, “Why me…”
Maybe this is my calling – to spread sparkle and love and magic everywhere! XD
It was even nicer to see updates from people i’m not familiar with! >
Is your heart swelling and feeling all mushy now??
MINE is!
I’d love YOU to continue performing random acts of kindness whenever the opportunity presents itself, or even when it doesn’t!
KinkyBlueFairy has 10 Pairs of Cinderella in-season tickets to give away,
and i think it’s so apt cos it’s the movie that inspired this activity anyway! If you have yet to watch the movie, GO! I was fawning over the cinematography, costume design (the fashion in there is awesome), script, special effects, oh, just go watch it already. I’m planning to go watch it again!
I get to choose who wins these cinema passes, and i’d like to give them away to those who are an inspiration in heart-swelling stories!
Tell me how you, or someone you’ve observed, have been kind by:
1) uploading a picture and description online (it can be IG, FB or blog)
2) hashtag #HaveCourageBeKind
3) email url link to joyce@kinkybluefairy.com
OR
1) emailing your story to joyce@kinkybluefairy.com
2) entitle email: #HaveCourageBeKind
Deadline: 10th April 2015.
Open to residents in Malaysia only.
I have a feeling after watching the movie, you’d be even MORE inspired to practice love and kindness, and it’ll come full circle! Too good.
