A to Z Challenge: B(e) Kind 366 - R is for Recognition

Every day in 2016 I'm performing an act of kindness (random or otherwise) and calling the project B(e) Kind 366. Last year I blogged A-Z with lists of potential acts of kindness. If you'd care to take a look at my R list, here it is: Random Acts of Kindness beginning with "R."

Today - Day 112 of B(e) Kind 366 - R is for Recognition.

I attended a large meeting today and as I was leaving I made sure to thank the woman who was recording the notes for the meeting. Often the people who do some of the most important work go unnoticed and therefore unrecognized. I try, in every instance that I can, to extend proper recognition.

Be sure to stop by G is for Giveaway!

A to Z Challenge: B(e) Kind 366 - Q is for Quarters

B(e) Kind 366 has been in the making for a few years now. Every day in 2016 I am doing an act of kindness (random or otherwise), taking on monthly challenges (like blogging A-Z), and raising funds for three organizations that have impacted my life.

Last year I sorted my lengthy list of potential acts of kindness that I had been compiling for a couple of years into alphabetical lists and blogged them A-Z! Here is last year's Q list: Random Acts of Kindness beginning with "Q."

I did two things with quarters today:
1. I gave a man all of the change (which included a few quarters) from my wallet on my way to work this morning.
2. I put two quarters in my coworker's expired parking meter to buy her a little extra time!

G is for Giveaway on A-Z with B (that's me). Be sure to stop by and enter!

A to Z Challenge: B(e) Kind 366 - P is for Politics

B(e) Kind 366 is all about doing kind things! 366 kind things - one for every day of 2016 - to be exact! In 2015 I blogged A-Z with lists of potential kindness ideas. Here's the P list from last year if you're interested: Random Acts of Kindness beginning with "P."

Today P is for Politics.

It was the Provincial Election in Manitoba today so my act of kindness was expressing my right to vote. It's just that simple today!

There's a really fun giveaway over on my G post that you should enter!

A to Z Challenge: B(e) Kind 366 - O is for Outside

Every day in 2016 I am performing an act of kindness (random or otherwise) and that is where B(e) Kind 366 comes from.

Last year I blogged A-Z with lists of potential acts of kindness. If you're interested, here's last year's O list: Random Acts of Kindness beginning with "O."

Today O is for Outside.

We've had some really strange weather this spring: exceptionally warm, unseasonally cool, and today finally sunshiney and warm again! Today's act of kindness was for myself and my dogs! Their favourite thing to do is go for a walk and I don't mind soaking up some sunshine myself. I always feel a sense of pride when I walk my boys; they're so well behaved and have quite the presence. The two big guys, Chewie (left) and Winston (right) walk together on a joined leash and Memphis (middle) walks alone on his own leash. Two dogs on the right of me and one on the left! I didn't take a photo today, but here's the one from our wedding invitations - on my favs!

Make sure you stop by my G is for Giveaway post and enter to win!

A to Z Challenge: B(e) Kind 366 - N is for News and Nigeria

Every day in 2016 I'm performing an act of kindness (random or otherwise) and that is what B(e) Kind 366 is all about. In 2015 I blogged A-Z with lists of kind acts. Here's the N list if you're interested: Random Acts of Kindness beginning with "N."

Today I took an idea from last year's list and spent some time reading news articles and watching news videos about Nigeria's Boko Haram. It's very difficult for me to watch videos and read articles about human rights atrocities so I avoid them for the most part, but today I watched and today I read.

It's been two years since the militant group invaded a school and kidnapped more than 200 girls. We don't hear about #BringBackOurGirls much anymore, but for the families of the young girls in Nigeria the nightmare is still very real.

On April 14, 2016 Boko Haram released a video of 15 of the kidnapped girls reading their names and explaining that they are all alive and well. The Nigerian government confirms that they remain in negotiations with Boko Haram for the release of these girls.

(There's a giveaway over on my G post! Be sure to stop by and enter to win!)

A to Z Challenge: B(e) Kind 366 - M is for Mom

In 2015 I blogged A-Z with lists of potential acts of kindness for each letter. Here's the M list if you're interested: Random Acts of Kindness beginning with "M." All of that was leading up to 2016 when I started B(e) Kind 366 - an initiative where I am performing an act of kindness (random or otherwise) every day of the year.

This year and last year the letter M fell on April 15th, my Mom's birthday!

My Mom is the most important person in my life so today especially I celebrate her. 

(There's a giveaway over on my G post this year that's easy to enter and one more way that my blog is contributing to B(e) Kind 366.)

A to Z Challenge: B(e) Kind 366 - L is for Learn

Every day in 2016 I'm performing an act of kindness (random or otherwise). That's what B(e) Kind 366 is all about! In 2015 I blogged A-Z with lists of potential acts of kindness beginning with each letter. Here's my L list from last year: Random Acts of Kindness beginning with "L."

Today L is for Learn.

Today was the second and last day of Mental Health First Aid. It's a course that I truly feel everyone should take to gain a better understanding of mental illness. Over the two days I learned about mood disorders, self harm, anxiety disorders, eating disorders, and psychoses as well as how to aid people who are experiencing any of the many symptoms or effects that fall under these categories.

ALGEE is the reference guide for the five basic actions required to perform mental health first aid:
A - Assess the risk of suicide and/or harm
L - Listen non-judgmentally
G - Give reassurance and information
E - Encourage the person to get professional help
E - Encourage other supports

I honestly learned so much and I have no doubt that I'll be able to aid people in the future should the need arise.

(G is for Giveaway a few posts back! You should check it out and enter!)