Monday 18th May marks the first day of Mental Health Awareness Week 2020 hosted by the Mental Health Foundation UK. This year, the theme is kindness and how we can celebrate kindness throughout a time of social distancing. There have been several examples of kindness shown to others, for example restaurants handing out food to hospital workers, flowers and applauds given to the workers each week risking their lives and 100-year-old Captain Tom Moore raising millions for the NHS by walking up and down his garden. Despite being in a time of isolation and concern for what the future holds, this is the perfect opportunity to show support to friends, family, strangers and make someone’s day. To me, the days have been jumbling up together but I would most likely remember a day if a random act of kindness was within it. A quote that I recently saw online, which I think represents exactly why everyone should spread love is
“Kindness is a gift everyone can afford to give”
Unfortunately, I have no idea who created this anecdote of wisdom but you get the jist. To embark on Mental Health Awareness Week, I have created a week of illustrations exploring kindness in many different formats and spreading my personal thoughts on the matter and what we can do to be kind to others and ourselves.
Today’s first illustration is four things you can do to be kind to others during a pandemic. They’re simple but effective and they still apply to the social distancing rules. Are you ready?
One random act of kindness that is affordable and will help you receive the same love and joy in the future, is leaving flowers for your neighbours. Do not get me wrong, we have probably all had a neighbour we are not necessarily fond of and have argued with them over loud music or their cat coming in and leaving us a dead animal as a gift. However, despite these bickers you and your neighbours are a small community and all deserve some positivity throughout this time. I am not expecting anyone to purchase an expensive array of flowers which left you wondering why you were kind in the first place. However, supermarket flowers, flowers from your garden, or you can even pick up some daisies and create a daisy chain. Perhaps you can then knock on the door or window at a distance to show your gift or leave a note so they know it is from you and they do not immediately expect an admirer.
The next act of kindness, which is presumably the easiest one as you are most likely reading this post on it right now! But, it is to leave a compliment on a stranger’s social media. Now, no one can tell me they have not gone on a ‘snoop fest’ and for hours been on their timeline stalking other profiles and checking out their life. I personally love to snoop on other people’s outfits, hair colours and tattoos and then use it as inspiration for myself. But, would it kill me to leave a compliment showing my love for their style once in a while? I tend to be a passive social media user and majority of the time I do not even follow these accounts. So, let’s put an end to secretly wanting to be a stranger’s friend and actually tell them. Go and spread a sprinkle of appreciation to that stranger for showing you a new hairstyle or just having a great aesthetic. That person possibly second guessed a photo they were going to put up, which could be an outfit or food recipe or makeup look that you loved.
I do not know about you, but I have gotten several cheeky takeaways during this isolation. Despite me pursuing healthier habits, the temptation of greasy food delivered to me that I can eat at the comfort of my own home has become vast. Even if that is not the case for you, I am sure if you were lucky enough to receive a delivery slot for your food shop, you will have been in contact with a delivery driver. This group of civilians have been a part of my happiness throughout these past few months as they are the heroes to drive here and give me delicious food in my time of need. I am grateful for the fast service we as a society have created for ourselves when it comes to food and sometimes we should give back. So as a random act of kindness, why not give a tip to your delivery driver? Although giving cash should be restricted during this time, before you hit that complete order button, you can add a little tip to your driver. Or if it is for a food shop delivery driver, you can leave a thank you card with the tip inside so there is less contact and there is also a personal note to go with it. It does not even have to be money, perhaps in the notes of your takeaway order you can buy extra food for the driver or bake cookies and offer during the exchange. Plenty of kindness to go around.
Last but not least, is an act of kindness to something you see everyday when you walk to work, or have a picnic by, or have maybe been attacked by. Birds. Since less of us are able to enjoy the quite surprisingly beautiful weather in the UK at the moment, less birds are getting fed by families on their walks. Although I have had my fair share of an army of birds attack me or try to steal my food, they deserve kindness too. Before you feed the birds anything though, make sure you research what food is suitable for different birds.
Here is a link of a list of foods appropriate for birds: https://www.rspb.org.uk/birds-and-wildlife/advice/how-you-can-help-birds/feeding-birds/safe-food-for-birds/
One of the things suitable is household scraps! The scraps left from the meals that you cook can feed the birds. So not only are you able to feed the birds for free, you will also reuse scraps that you have thrown away without a second thought. This can be done by feeding the birds in your garden to feeding pigeons during your daily exercise.
I hope these random acts of kindness give you an extra boost to spread positivity within your daily lives and please share to me any other examples of kindness that you have done for others in the comments or my social media!
Be sure to follow my Instagram @punnyillustrations_ for my week long posts for Mental Health Awareness Week and for more uplifting witty illustrations.
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