Dear Student,
By the time you read this, you should be a few weeks into your June Holidays — the hallowed month-long break every student looks forward to, when you are freed from homework, from teachers, and from school.
It is also one of the few opportunities in a year to travel overseas, or to spend your days however you choose: going out with friends, pursuing various hobbies or staying home to relax and watch movie after movie.
But with so much time freed up, why not spend your holidays just a little differently this year? Start actively practising kindness in your life, for yourself and those around you.
Here are some ways you can bring that inner Singa out into your life:
- Kindness, it Starts With You:
It doesn’t always mean from you, it could also mean being kind to oneself. You might be asking what this looks like: it could mean making hard decisions —working on that pesky assignment so that the future “you” can avoid feeling panicked, to sleeping a little earlier, so your body feels rested.
Image: Soundtrap via Unsplash - Helping Hands: Set aside some time to volunteer, with communities or causes you have a personal interest in, whether at animal shelters, food kitchens, or tutoring children, seeing tangible change created in exchange with your time brings you purpose.
Image: cottonbro via Pexels - Mind the Language:
If you’re travelling overseas, keep in mind that locals may not be comfortable speaking English. To be more considerate when you’re asking for directions or ordering food, you can learn some common phrases and words in their language to show them your appreciation—excuse me, please, thank you.
Image: Mika Baumeister via Unsplash
These are all simple actions you can adopt in daily life, be it during the holidays or the semester. But if you’re thinking—why should I go out of my way to do these? Well, kindness benefits both others and yourself. Those feel-good brain endorphins that regulate your mood, like oxytoxin, dopamine, and serotonin are created with acts of kindness.
Whether you are the receiver or the giver, kindness brings you happiness different from the fleeting holiday joys, a sense of fulfilment and accomplishment—being able to see or feel the tangible effects of the time and effort put in.
As The Pride has said before, don’t be kind for just one day, be kind every day—it’s a Lifestyle✨
Be Kind, Be Greater!
A Fellow Student