Thanks Susanne. I learned the "small problem, small reaction" language from my kid's school and appropriated it for our household. I am not above calling myself or others a Karen, but I take your point. It's bad to view others as walking stereotypes.
I resonate with this so much! Kindness takes every bit of being intentional.
Every time I catch myself silently judging someone in my head, I make it a point to find one thing I like about them. It's helping me treat people kinder and with more love.
I have been reflecting on kindness and how it impacts my life and how I can indulge in more conscious kindness - towards myself and others - as we close out what feels like a very cruel year personally and politically. Thank you for this perspective. I plan to be revolutionary. 💜♾️
“Some days it feels like a thousand spiders are trying to trap me in their webs of stress: nasty online comments, junk food, political anxiety, family drama — you name it. If I let the spiderwebs trap me, the spiders will gradually march into my soul, colonize, and turn it into rot.”
As I read this I felt the many times I’ve doom-scrolled twitter at 2 am or my cold response to my wife after an unexpressed expectation has not been met. Be kind, Brandon. Be at peace.
I appreciated the care and thoughtfulness of the piece - thank you, Jeff.
Jeff, this is awesome, Great stuff here! Says a lot about a man who works to keep being kind. Anyone can be kind when he/she is pushing the ball downhill. Those who find kindness amidst adversity make a difference. 👊
Kindness is something I’ve always wanted to emulate and many people think that I do. We could all do better and Jeff, I think I understand you completely. You are such a great writer, I really enjoy reading your missives.
Beautiful and moving piece. I really appreciate people who have the ability to self-reflect and be transparent with themselves and others about their shortcomings in this thing called life. Kindness is a daily requirement and task for all us to strengthen our humanity.
This was beautiful and indeed a revolutionary concept esp post election. I’m working on a draft about the need for kindness across political ideologies and this helped me connect a few concepts for my own essay. I especially enjoyed the reference to Death of. Salesman. My peace of mind comes from practicing the virtue of being kind. I also think one might potentially connect this to the cultivation of the four virtues. Bravo!
What a beautiful story and amazing thing to model in front of your kid Jeff. "Being kind helps me see the beauty, grace, and kindness all around me." I feel the same embarrassment about missing the mark so often, like you say, it's a low bar. It's just a mindset to remember that kindness is just right at our fingertips in each moment, and then to take the invitation.
Much needed. Certainly describes a lot of my behavior, good and bad. And the last time that I lost it, it was also over what I believed to be an unwarranted credit card fee. Now to avoid those spider webs, or, as my English friends say, stay out of the nettles.
‘Small problem, small reaction.’ This is a great framing.
One more act of kindness: to refrain from calling people ‘Karens.’ It isn’t kind to namecall anyone.
Better to call them (or yourself at that moment) entitled or rude.
Thanks Susanne. I learned the "small problem, small reaction" language from my kid's school and appropriated it for our household. I am not above calling myself or others a Karen, but I take your point. It's bad to view others as walking stereotypes.
I resonate with this so much! Kindness takes every bit of being intentional.
Every time I catch myself silently judging someone in my head, I make it a point to find one thing I like about them. It's helping me treat people kinder and with more love.
Thanks! I like your habit of finding something nice. May need to try that ;)
Most welcome.
I have been reflecting on kindness and how it impacts my life and how I can indulge in more conscious kindness - towards myself and others - as we close out what feels like a very cruel year personally and politically. Thank you for this perspective. I plan to be revolutionary. 💜♾️
“Some days it feels like a thousand spiders are trying to trap me in their webs of stress: nasty online comments, junk food, political anxiety, family drama — you name it. If I let the spiderwebs trap me, the spiders will gradually march into my soul, colonize, and turn it into rot.”
As I read this I felt the many times I’ve doom-scrolled twitter at 2 am or my cold response to my wife after an unexpressed expectation has not been met. Be kind, Brandon. Be at peace.
I appreciated the care and thoughtfulness of the piece - thank you, Jeff.
Thanks Brandon. Those two examples hit.
Well done, an extraordinary piece!
Thank you!
What a stunning essay, Jeff!
Thank you!
The way you asked your son for his opinion <3
aw thanks :) it's revealing and a little scary having a kid as a mirror!
Jeff, this is awesome, Great stuff here! Says a lot about a man who works to keep being kind. Anyone can be kind when he/she is pushing the ball downhill. Those who find kindness amidst adversity make a difference. 👊
Thanks Matt, appreciate it
I hope I live long enough to read George’s book!
aw, thanks Rife
Kindness is something I’ve always wanted to emulate and many people think that I do. We could all do better and Jeff, I think I understand you completely. You are such a great writer, I really enjoy reading your missives.
Thanks so much Tim.
Beautiful and moving piece. I really appreciate people who have the ability to self-reflect and be transparent with themselves and others about their shortcomings in this thing called life. Kindness is a daily requirement and task for all us to strengthen our humanity.
Thanks so much, and I hope you're ok with me tagging you :)
LOL! I think it would take a hippo for me to be that hypocritical.
lolol. Working on a short Substack High rejoinder btw.
That would be super dope! I can't wait to read it!
This was beautiful and indeed a revolutionary concept esp post election. I’m working on a draft about the need for kindness across political ideologies and this helped me connect a few concepts for my own essay. I especially enjoyed the reference to Death of. Salesman. My peace of mind comes from practicing the virtue of being kind. I also think one might potentially connect this to the cultivation of the four virtues. Bravo!
Thanks for the kind (pun intended) words. I look forward to reading your piece!
What a beautiful story and amazing thing to model in front of your kid Jeff. "Being kind helps me see the beauty, grace, and kindness all around me." I feel the same embarrassment about missing the mark so often, like you say, it's a low bar. It's just a mindset to remember that kindness is just right at our fingertips in each moment, and then to take the invitation.
Thanks Rick. You set the kind bar pretty high tbh.
Much needed. Certainly describes a lot of my behavior, good and bad. And the last time that I lost it, it was also over what I believed to be an unwarranted credit card fee. Now to avoid those spider webs, or, as my English friends say, stay out of the nettles.
I like that. What a great expression.