Be kind.

Today I received the regular email newsletter from Kind Over Matter. I adore this site. It makes me smile regularly. I'm ever grateful to my friend Mercedes for retweeting something from KOM a long time ago, that led me to the site.

There is a quote from Buddha at the top of today's email. "Set your heart on doing good. Do it over and over again, and you will be filled with joy." Such a simple, yet profound, statement. How easy it is to spread a little kindness in our world! I see examples of it every day - a door held open, a driver letting another driver pull into traffic, a meal bought for someone else in the cafeteria line, strangers stopping to offer help.

I've been on the receiving end, too. When my mother had surgery last fall, I was in line to pay the parking fee, and when it was my turn I was told the stranger ahead had paid for my car also. Just last week a friend at work helped me carry the many items I was transporting so I didn't have to make multiple trips up and down the stairs. A friend messaged me on Facebook to ask about my oldest daughter's medical tests this week.

These things are so simple, and seem like nothing when we do them, but I know from experience that these little things mean so much to the other person. There is no reason to not spread kindness around! And don't limit yourself to strangers - when is the last time we did something nice for a family member "just because?" Or a friend or neighbor? Let the people in your life know you care about them.

And just for fun, here is a whole page of free printables to help spread kindness in your world. Tear-off flyers, cards, lollipop flowers, all kinds of nifty things. Have fun!

And remember: You are beautiful.