The Importance of Kindness During a Pandemic

Life as We Know It.

Here we are, several weeks into shelter in place. The news is sobering at best, we’ve all but given up wearing anything other than pajamas or sweats, and toilet paper has become one of the nation’s hottest commodities. 

Days of the week have become arbitrary and April seems poised to last a minimum of three decades. In the midst of all this, how are we supposed to stay grounded? How do we maintain a sense of hope? 

Side note: I think my cats are scared of me now.

I feel priority one has to be taking care of ourselves. There are hundreds of videos, blog posts, instagram stories, etc. encouraging us to get outside, nourish ourselves, exercise, etc. Maybe you’d done some of these things and maybe you haven’t. There’s no right or wrong way to survive during this time. 

You’re allowed to grieve. You can give yourself permission to spend a full day watching Netflix. If you take two naps during the day, no one is going to judge you for it. We are in the midst of a weird time, so we must be gentle with ourselves.

Now What?

I’ve found myself wondering what my purpose is during this time. I have found myself writing more, which is great for me. I’ve also found myself wanting to figure out how to give back to others – determine how I can connect with my community on a more intimate level. 

Yesterday, while taking a walk with my daughter, I saw a massive sticky-note heart in a neighbor’s window.

That little act of kindness made me feel better. It made me feel less alone. I also have a group of friends who

 have taken to howling at the moon every night at 8pm. Weird? Definitely. Fostering a sense of

community? Also yes. There’s no right or wrong way.

Finding my Purpose- Kindness. 

What is important is that we remind ourselves we’re not alone. And for me, it’s also to remind others they’re not alone, either. I joined Project Helping because of my desire to give back and to share my experience with others. This is my purpose during our quarantine. I encourage you to dig deep and figure out what is keeping you afloat during this time, too.

Written by: Kat Atwell

Interested in learning about how we’re spreading kyndness for our Healthcare Heroes? Visit kyndkit.com. Want more info on howling every night? Visit https://time.com/5819374/howling-ritual-coronavirus/.

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