One act of kindness that is rapidly growing around the world, are community gardens. In cities that are over populated and people are experiencing hunger, communities have come together to develop vegetable and herb gardens to feed those in need.

Community gardens in Canada

In Canada there are over 100 community gardens that are encouraging people to go outdoors and enjoy nature.

In Toronto there is a website where you can find a network of community gardens. (http://tcgn.ca/). It is a community made up of individuals and organizations from across the Greater Toronto Area. They are committed to greening and sustainable gardening practices across the City of Toronto, and to make community gardening an integral part of city life.

In Ottawa, Canada, you can find a community garden project through http://justfood.ca/community-gardening-network/.

In Vancouver, Canada, the City of Vancouver has community gardens on their website that you can join. (http://vancouver.ca/people-programs/community-gardens.aspx)

The city of London, Canada, also has opportunities to volunteer at local community gardens (http://communitygardenslondon.ca/)

Community gardens around the world

Around the world communities are developing areas in their cities by establishing urban gardens for their communities. The idea is to work with their local government departments to ensure that the parcels of inner city land are utilized to sustainably support the needs of hunger individuals.

Food Tank has a list of community gardens around the world where you can have the opportunity to give back to your local communities. (https://foodtank.com/news/2015/07/urban-farms-and-gardens-are-feeding-cities-around-the-world/)

“Human kindness has never weakened the stamina or softened the fiber of a free people.”
Franklin D. Rooseveldt.

Volunteering when you are on vacation

Volunteering ones time is an act of kindness. In every community there are opportunities to volunteer. There are even opportunities to volunteer in communities in other countries. When planning your vacation, have you considered volunteering whilst you travel?

In India there are volunteer programs designed to assist their local rural communities whilst the tourist visit their beautiful country. (https://www.gooverseas.com/volunteer-abroad/india)

Have you considered volunteering in Africa? SAVE is an organization that has volunteer programs across the continent of Africa. You can choose to work with people, animals or do internships. For more information visit their website. (http://volunteering.org.za/)

Working with animals and wildlife

If you love animals then there are opportunities to volunteer at your local animals shelters and wildlife rehabilitation centres. If you don’t have a lot of work experience then look for volunteer opportunities that provide work experience and certification. This can help build your resume and could lead to a job at your national park. One such program is in Banff National Park in Canada. It offers a four week certificate program in Conservation Leadership. (http://www.gointernational.ca/programs-in-canada/volunteer-canada/volunteer-banff.aspx)

Go International has various volunteer programs in Canada if you would like the experience of working with wildlife and other volunteering programs. (http://www.gointernational.ca)

Fronteering (http://www.fronteering.com) offers opportunities to do volunteer work with wildlife and horses. Volunteering to look after animals is an act of kindness that can be very rewarding.

In South Africa there are some interesting volunteer programs. If you like marine animals then you can have the opportunity to work with great white sharks. (http://www.marinevolunteers.org/)

It is a wonderful experience to work with endangered animals. In South Africa you can volunteer to work with Rhinos and Lions. For more information on opportunities to work with wildlife you can visit https://www.volunteersa.com/.

Disabled people can also volunteer

Disabled people also have opportunities to do volunteer work. The website for disabled volunteers in Canada is (https://volunteer.ca/). This website encourages the engagement of people with disabilities to do volunteer work. They believe that…. “Volunteering opportunities are particularly important for people with disabilities and other populations that experience barriers because they can alleviate social exclusion. Volunteering also allows individuals who may require assistance or supports for some of their daily activities to be in a position of helping others and develop a greater sense of self-efficacy.”

Go abroad is a useful resource for volunteer programs (https://www.goabroad.com).

Volunteering can be a wonderful opportunity to show kindness and contribute to the wellbeing of our planet.

We encourage you to find opportunities in your local communities to volunteer in shelters for the homeless or animals that are in need of kindness. There are also opportunites to volunteer in other countries which can add to your experience and meeting new people.

By building stronger communities we can fill our world with acts of kindness that can connect our global village in a positive and productive way.

A legacy can be defined by the contribution a person makes to the world. It means to outlive oneself. There are many influential people that have a legacy of kindness. Princess Diana was known for the contributions she made to society and she will be remembered for her acts of kindness.

But what about ordinary people who are living day-to-day? How can they leave behind a legacy that will make them extraordinary in the people’s lives that they touch on a daily basis? Wouldn’t you like to be remembered as an extraordinary, kind person?

Kindness is a legacy where we can out live ourselves. Everyday we come into contact with family, friends, strangers and even animals. We have a choice as to how we will treat everyone and everything that crosses our daily path. If we practice being kind in every aspect of our lives, we will leave a legacy that touches the hearts of those we leave behind.

Each one of us has the opportunity to contribute to the wellbeing of our planet. The small acts of kindness generate a ripple effect that creates positive change in our world.

Some acts of kindness can be well thought out, whist others can be purely spontaneous. Could you plan to do an act of kindness everyday?

Here are 10 ways you can leave a legacy of kindness that will contribute to the well being of our world.

1. Buy a stranger a cup of coffee.
2. Buy a chocolate for the person who is at the checkout till in the grocery store.
3. Send a postcard to a child that is ill. (www.sendkidstheworld.com)
4. Write a letter to someone who is depressed. (www.moreloveletters.com)
5. Keep a extra umbrella at work, so you can lend it out when it rains.
6. Bring snacks for your work mates.
7. Volunteer at www.musiciansoncall.org.
8. Write a letter to the elderly. (www.lovefortheelderly.org)
9. Sign up for the You Matter Marathon. (www.youmattermarathon.com)
10. Give a box of hearts to someone special with kind words written on them.
11. Take flowers or treats to the nurses’ station at your nearest hospital.
12. Run an errand for a family member who is busy.
13. Leave a box of goodies in your mailbox for your mail carrier.
14. Tape coins around a playground for kids to find.
15. Put your phone away while in the company of others.
16. Email or write to a former teacher who made a difference in your life.
17. When you hear that discouraging voice in your head, tell yourself something positive — you deserve kindness too!
18. Write your partner a list of things you love about them.
19. Purchase extra dog or cat food and bring it to an animal shelter.
20. Have a clean up party at a beach or park.

If we can choose to be anything in this world,….. let us choose to be kind to one another.

by Judy K Martene

There are so many opportunities to be kind to other people. One way is to listen to people, friends, family or even a stranger.

I believe that it is an act of kindness to hold space for someone without judging them. As humans we have such diverse cultures, beliefs and voices that it is so important to display kindness by allowing each and every person to speak their truth. We do not all resonate with each other, but we can hold space for each other so that we can encourage one another to be our authentic selves.

Authenticity is becoming a way of life for many people. People are searching for genuine connections with each other. If we display kindness, gentleness and a caring attitude when we listen to people we can help them to heal and find their own voice. We can help people feel like they are enough just by being themselves.

If we took time each day to listen to people without judgement it could have a huge impact on their lives. It will make them feel loved. It will make them feel important. They will feel like their lives matter.

When people feel unworthy they fear speaking out about their personal thoughts. I believe that if we listen to people we can help build their confidence. It even helps people to resolve their own problems if we don’t give them our opinions and rather guide them to making choices that are right for themselves.

How loved do you feel when someone takes the time to listen to you? It makes you feel good. It provides you with a support system and it creates bonds of friendship that can be strengthened over time.

Listening requires your full attention. It requires being generous with your time. Often times we hear people feel alienated from each other. This can be solved by taking time out to listen to one another. If we all did that, the world would be a kinder more accepting place to live in.

So resolve each day to take the time to listen to someone. It would change their life and your own.

I wanted to give you insight into the lives of the people that I will be interviewing. Each one of them has a unique story to share about how kindness has become part of their everyday lives. They have all touched my heart and I feel that the world needs to hear their stories. So join me in celebrating these extraordinary people.

Carol was declared legally blind over 27 years ago. Her son one day told her to volunteer at a retirement home. She thought why should she do that? She didn’t identify with older people, but she agreed to try it out and she has been volunteering for 20 years now. She cannot see peoples faces, only a black outline of the person. She listens to them talking. Over the years she has seen many people die and she found this difficult at first, but she knows that she needs to be there for them. She feels it is part of giving back and now enjoys her volunteer work.

Carol-Anne tunes in to peoples energy in order to know how she can facilitate their healing as she does reflexology on them. In the beginning she found it difficult to receive huge gifts of kindness. As women we are givers and so receiving gifts can be difficult. She did a lot of inner work to say that she was worthy of receiving a huge gift. She is a soft spoken woman with a big heart. Kindness is an integral part if who she is. Carol-Anne works with the energy of the body and becomes the conduit to help people shift into healing and or for continued prevention to keep oneself unblocked and in flow.

Jessica was abandoned as a child in Africa in Zimbabwe. She had to take care of her siblings even though she was a child herself. She immigrated to Canada and started a life for herself after being adopted. She had a friend still living in Zimbabwe who found abandoned children and was helping the children to go to school. So she decided to help her friend. She decided that her family would give up one restaurant meal for a month and send the money to her friend who uses it to put these abandoned children through school. She found a notebook and covered it in African material that she found and sold it to make money to help other children in Zimbabwe. She asked her friends to give her money on her birthday so that she could send it to the children who needed help. Jessica has created a foundation that helps these children to stay in school.

Margarit’s motto is “How can I serve, verses What can I get? She has served her community and dished out kindness for over 20 years as a yoga teacher and coach. She has branched into many areas to spread spiritual awakening both on and off line. In 2013 on a trip back home to Ontario from British Columbia with only a suitcase of contents for a week. There was an unfortunate incident that ended up with her landed back in Ontario for good. With little possession’s she found her way back to her old hometown where she now became the recipient to receive the kindness back from her community, while she rebuilt her business and her life.

Sue is a naturally happy kind of person. She finds ways to help people everyday with her positive attitude. She exudes kindness and it naturally oozes out of her. I have known her a long time and I had not seen her for many years and one day I bumped into her in a shop where she works. It felt like divine synchronicity and I asked her if I could interview her for my show. She was the first person I interviewed for The Kindness AEffect.

Do you perhaps have a story that you would like to share with the world? Please contact me so that I can feature you either on my blog or on one if the episodes of my TV show.
I look forward to listening to your wonderful stories that have major impact on the world as ripple affects of Kindness

Kindness is one of our natural resources that doesn’t cost anything, it is in abundant supply. We all have access to the quality of kindness and we can freely hand it out to the world. The only consequence to performing an act of kindness is that it makes us feel good.

So where do we start? It starts deep within our core existence. It starts where our own heart beats. The seed of heartfelt kindness germinates when we take care of our bodies and are mindful of our thoughts and emotions.

I always say that you can never give from an empty cup. You need to fill your own cup and give from the overflow. When you discover your own inner strength and reinforce your self-worth, you will be able to give freely to others.

When we nurture kindness like a fragile seedling and regularly add love, compassion, tenderness and care to it, it nourishes our spirit so that we not only survive in this world. We thrive in it, just like a healthy plant.

I believe that when we practice self-care we flourish as humans and we can then give generously to others. If you feel good about yourself then you will change your perspective on life and how you view other people. Being kind will be a natural state of wellbeing.

So everyday be gentle when your inner voice talks to you. Be kind to your body by eating healthy food and resting when you need to. We only have one body that needs to last a life time. Take care if it.

So lets practice heartfelt kindness first on ourselves. When we overflow with kindness it will naturally seep out into the world and to all living creatures, breathing life back into our wonderful planet. One kind heart beat at a time.

I always knew I had a concept of the structure and how the TV show should look and feel. I wanted to set the structure around the four main parts of the show.

Firstly, it would be general interviews with people in the community. Secondly, it would be how the community pays it forward. Thirdly, the stories would be from around the world. Fourthly, how being kind to yourself is so important to looking after yourself.

The show is about being kind to yourself which starts with the simplest of things. So I wanted people to realize that most of us are not kind to ourselves, that is why society is not being kind to each other.

Behind the scenes I sit at my computer editing voices and taking out as many “um’s” and “ah’s” and pauses to make the video flow. I was still learning to use the software and adding in cut aways and layovers took hours initially. It would take me a week and a half to edit one interview in the beginning but I am becoming quicker with the editing.

It has been a time consuming, love effort. Going and doing the interviews is phenomenal and fantastic experience. I get so emotional and people get emotional, because it is their lives and their moment of revelation and connection to their higher source, that inherent kindness and love within themselves, when they perform an act of kindness. Many have also become my new friends.

In fact kindness is so powerful I believe it can change the world. So kindness has value that far outweighs any material value. Imagine if people exchanged or traded acts of kindness in the world instead of money. Would this change the behaviour of people towards each other? Not necessarily. Kindness could be used to manipulate people.

The Kindness Aeffect is based on the act of unselfishly giving, backed by the true feeling of love. An effect is the action taken to drop the stone in water. An affect is the cause that dropped stone creates in the water. The ripple effect occurs. True, unselfish acts of kindness create the effect of one ripple that becomes the wave of change in the behaviour of people in this world.

What if you had REAL POWER to change the world? Well you do! By performing acts of kindness on a daily basis you can change the world.

The ripple of kindness is an energetic vibration that echoes from one person to another. People talk about raising their vibrations and energy levels by shifting their lives. When you practice kindness it changes your mood and behaviour. This in turn affects the people that come in contact with you. They are either repelled or attracted by the vibrations you are emitting.

You may think you are ordinary, but an act of kindness makes you extraordinary to a person who is in crisis. Kindness can be opening the door for someone or buying a stranger coffee.

Be the blessing in someone else’s life, just by being kind.

Kindness is the most valuable gift you can give the world.

How often are you kind during the day? Do you practice random acts of kindness?

I am Judy Martene your host and producer, and I would love for you to join me as I showcase how kindness shows up in your community and all over the world.

Research shows that kindness makes us happier. Kindness changes lives. Kindness is good for the heart. Kindness improves our relationships and slows our aging process. So I say lets bring on more kindness.

Scientific research shows that kindness not only makes us feel good, but it offers significant health benefits, physically and mentally. Each show will leave you touched in a heartfelt way to live a life of kindness to others and most of all, first and foremost to yourself.

They say you cannot give from an empty cup. You must fill your cup first and give from the overflow.

At the end of each show I will highlight some ways for you to feel good. How to be kind to yourself so that you can begin to or continue to live a life of inherent goodness within each one of you.

Each single act produces a ripple effect which spans the globe. So I invite you to watch The Kindness Aeffect TV Series and see how these people continue to change the lives of many people around the world, producing a ripple effect of kindness.

Mark Twain said “Kindness is a language that the deaf can hear and the blind can see.

So please join me on Sunday 24 September 2017 at 7:30pm EST on Roger’s TV for the first episode. If you miss it don’t worry you can watch it on my YouTube Channel at 8:00pm EST.

Enjoy the show!