Honoring Kindness
For the people who make me believe that kindness still exists in this world.
Hi lovely Readers!
The past few weeks have been full of ups and downs for me.
Sometimes in life, you let the miseries of a challenging phase overpower the beauty of the day-to-day, ordinary things. As the story of my life unfolds in front of my eyes, I wonder about the core experiences and memories that make me who I am today. I see the power of kindness around me, its ripple effects, and how it is the most underestimated trait in the world.
I am sure we have all had moments in our journey when we felt a sudden burst of self-doubt, and someone reminded us that we are capable. They may not have anything to gain from your success, but they show up for you anyway. It is a quality that may not be worthy enough to put on a resumé as per the norms. Nonetheless, it deserves admiration.
My thoughts inspired me to read some of my old newsletters. Today, I share with you a list that I published here when Unwind was read by only 70 people across the world. This newsletter honors the kindness of those who made an impact on my life forever. These experiences have, and continue to make me believe that kindness and positivity still exist in this world.
I hope reading this encourages you to appreciate not just the goodness that still exists in this world, but also the people in your life who show you that it does by their actions.
I hope you choose to cherish these experiences and more importantly, be the person who makes someone else believe in the power of kindness.
When you step out in the world every day, always remember the words of Maya Angelou,
“People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”
HONORING KINDNESS THAT GOES UNNOTICED: PARTS FROM MY STORY
My economics professor in college went above and beyond to help me get my first article about stock market bubbles published in a journal. He was the first person to make me realise that my writings could be of value to this world. (The reason you are reading this newsletter today.)
My best friend of 20+ years randomly called the landline number of my house one day (which she had memorised as a child) because I was not answering my calls.
A senior colleague who mentored me in the initial days of my first corporate job called to wish me luck and thanked me for my contribution to the firm the day I resigned.
One day, I was touring restaurants for food photography in scorching heat for my sales job. As I was leaving the fourth restaurant of the day, the staff offered me a cold beverage because the exhaustion was visible on my face. When I offered to pay, they kindly refused to accept the money, telling me that I had been working hard enough and they appreciated all that I had done for their restaurant so far.
My mentor told me that I, a 23-year-old novice still trying to carve my path in this chaotic world, acted as a reverse mentor to him on several occasions. It is rare (and extremely beautiful) to find people who rank highly in society but are still willing to learn from every person they cross paths with.
A little girl from an NGO I used to visit in college taught me the value of gratitude by frequently telling me that she appreciates what little she has.
Last year, a friend of mine was at my doorstep with tons of different flavours of ice creams the day I experienced my first big failure in life.
I recently purchased an item from a small business, and they sent me an extra gift as a token of appreciation for discovering and supporting their small endeavour.
A cab driver once told me that his biggest priority in life was to fund his daughter's education. He told me how happy he was that I chose to chase my dreams. Sometimes, we don’t realise that the opportunities that come naturally to us may be a luxury in someone else’s life.
Last week, I told
that I had never received a postcard on a Note she posted about sending postcards from Greece to her next five new subscribers. She kindly offered to send me one, even though I am already subscribed to her publication. Going the extra mile for someone you have never met is a rare sight in today's day and age. I am so grateful to be on the receiving end of it.
THIS WEEK’s RECOMMENDATIONS
scarcity in a field of dreams by
. I find comfort and see hope in Robert’s words as he talks about the beauty of daydreaming in a chaotic world.- . I love Robin’s take on choosing connection over money as an artist here. His parting words about kindness align with my newsletter as well!
Exposure Therapy: The Only Way Out, Is Through by
. As someone who is fascinated by psychology since high school, this was such an interesting article about exposure therapy. My favourite line has to be, ‘When it comes to anxiety, the only way out is through.’Come with me to Paris, sort of by
. If you are always dreaming of travelling the world (guilty!), this post is flooded by beauty for your eyes to see. Patiently waiting for the day I get to see the places in these images in real life. But for now, Elin has done a fantastic job for me to virtually enjoy the beauty of Paris!
If you enjoy reading Unwind, I would love it if you consider recommending the publication to your readers. Simply go to your dashboard > Recommendations > Manage > Add recommendation > Unwind.
I adore the honoring excerpts of people in your life. I know there is the narrative of building character in hardships, but it is the warmth of strangers and loved ones that I hope makes up my larger pieces our being. ❤️
Such beautiful reminders, and I love the Maya Angelou quote 🙌