February is a chock full of community and cultural awareness celebrations. One, rising in popularity, is National Random of Acts of Kindness Day. Part of Random Acts of Kindness Week, this day is a celebration of simple gestures that make the world a little brighter, better and kinder.
Through a simple internet search, you can find projects from all across the world where people have used words, gestures, and actions to make people’s lives easier. The aim of National Random Acts of Kindness Day is to encourage people to focus on improving the human condition through compassion, mindfulness, and human connection.
On Friday, February 16, the University’s staff, alumni and current students came together at our headquarters in Charles Town, West Virginia, for a “You Rock” rock painting event. We painted rocks with messages of kindness to share in the local community. To minimize any negative effects on the environment, we used non-toxic materials and put the rocks into display-only areas (not their natural habitats).
All images courtesy of author.
Also, the participants donated gently used children’s books to contribute to the Ranson Civic Center’s Little Free Library.
The Office of Student and Alumni Affairs has challenged their 74+ student organizations to focus on leading kindness-related activities in their own communities worldwide. The Chapter Standards program, the student organization engagement framework, includes a variety of ways student organizations can impact their communities and make a difference. In 2024, National Random Acts of Kindness Day was added to the Chapter Standards program to encourage the spread of kindness and to focus on mental wellness as a community imperative.
Practicing Kindness on National Random Acts of Kindness Day and Throughout the Year
National Random Acts of Kindness Day is a concerted effort to promote kindness around the world by encouraging kind behavior and acts. Kind behavior can include acts such as:
- Smiling
- Speaking kindly to someone else
- Offering your seat to another person, especially in a crowded bus or train
- Writing letters of appreciation or gratitude
Practicing kindness can also include setting time aside to be active with other people in an effort to improve broader social and emotional issues within your community. In fact, the American Psychological Association explains that acts of kindness can improve your physical and mental health.
Being kind can also involve being kind to yourself. Kindness to oneself is largely about overcoming self-defeating thoughts or beliefs, reducing stress, and increasing positive and healthy psychological experiences. Taking time to practice self-kindness is about being gentle with yourself and knowing that you don’t have carry your burdens alone.
If you’re struggling with your mental health, there are many organizations who want to help:
- The Random Acts of Kindness Foundation is a non-profit with a variety of free resources and ideas for implementing kindness into schools, at home and at work. My favorite item is a printable Kindness Bingo to play with coworkers or friends.
- The Born This Way Foundation offers the Be There Certificate, a free course related to mental health awareness and teaching people to play a support role in the lives of others. The course helps learners understand when someone is struggling with mental health and how to get them the help the deserve.
- The Golden Rule is a non-profit organization and project that seeks to increase awareness and the practice of compassion, kindness, and peace by sharing the Golden Rule (treat others as you wish to be treated) through education, various programs, and partnerships. The Golden Rule website includes many examples of easy-to-do projects related to kindness. My favorite is a website for writing love letters to people who have been added to the site by a friend or family member in need.
- Active Minds is one of the University’s student organizations, focused on saving lives and building stronger communities with education, research, advocacy, and a focus on young adults. Active Minds is focused on opening up a dialogue about mental health in the U.S.
Other Mental Health Resources
The mental health support and well-being of our students, staff, alumni and faculty members are our highest priority. If you need immediate assistance or are struggling, consider using these services:
- U.S. Emergency Services: Text #911
- 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: Text #988
- U.S. Crisis Text Line: Text HOME to 741741
- Uwill®: Uwill is a teletherapy service with licensed counselors and therapists. Students can access Uwill’s site with their student email address and have three free sessions of counseling.
- TalkCampus®: TalkCampus is an online mental health support network, allowing students instant online support at any time of day for as long as they need trained peer support. To access TalkCampus, download the app on your phone and enter your student email address.
- University Chaplains: The University Chaplain’s Office is a non-denominational support resource for students seeking immediate assistance with homelessness, food insecurity, substance abuse, domestic abuse or suicidal ideations. Students who wish to speak with a Chaplain can email chaplain@apus.edu.
National Random Acts of Kindness Day is a reminder that kindness begins with understanding how complex, messy and hard life can be. The beauty of kindness is that anyone can be kind anywhere and anytime. Stay strong out there and remember to be kind.
Related: TalkCampus Provides Free Mental Health Support Services
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TalkCampus is a registered trademark of Talklife, Ltd.
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