You did it! Congratulations! You are moments away from your weekend. But first, you have one final mission to complete—perhaps the most important of all to end this Joy Week celebration.
I truly hope you’ve gotten something out of this week. Even though it is simply one week of challenges for hope, love, and charity, I think that this kind of intentional living is what can drive us to make real differences in our lives for the long term. It wasn’t too long ago that I was an unhappy high schooler with no sense of genuine joy. Now, four full years after beginning The Smile Project, I can see how my life has changed in unimaginable ways, simply by thinking of one good thing every day. I hope this week, no matter how chaotic it may have been for you, has been one of reflection and has allowed you to see things in a different light.
Your last challenge is going to be more than just a social media post—but stay with me, cause I promise it will be worth it. Yes, it is Friday the 13th and yes, it is the last day of Joy Week, but more importantly, it is World Kindness Day.
In 1998, World Kindness Day was introduced by a coalition of nation’s NGOs centered around kindness. This annual event is celebrated by a multitude of nations and many nonprofits and businesses alike team up to promote the special holiday.
One such of those organizations is the Random Acts of Kindness Foundation. Established in 1995 as a 501(c) 3 nonprofit organization, The Random Acts of Kindness Foundation is a resource for people committed to spreading kindness. They are, obviously, huge advocates for today, so I’ve attached a link to their website, where you can find a myriad of kindness projects. You can even sort them by your budget or your time constraints.
Your challenge? If I haven’t made it obvious enough, your challenge for the last day of Joy Week is to practice some Kindness. You can leave inspirational sticky notes on the bathroom mirrors or pay for the person behind you in the restaurant line. You can do something as simple as posting an inspirational quote on your social media accounts. You can write a letter to someone you love or leave your name unsigned. Maybe your kindness act will be telling someone about The Smile Project (shameless plug, I’ll admit). No matter what you do, there are no rules or restrictions on today. Simply do good.
If you’d like to share some of your kind ideas, use the hashtag #WorldKindessDay as well as the continued three from this week #JoyWeek2015 #TheSmileProject #SpreadTheSmile
It’s been a complete and honest joy (no pun intended) to experience this week with you all. I hope something from these last five days has sparked something within you to live in kindness and happiness every day.
Love always,
Liz