Nirmala Mehendale is a LivingMyPromise signatory, Former President -The World Kindness Movement & Founder Trustee – Kindness Unlimited 

In a world where everything has a price , what happens to the priceless?  How do we bring them back into circulation ?

Disconnection is a growing epidemic – You can’t put a price on the smile  or phone call you received , just as you can’t put a price on any of our deepest gifts. Compassion,  Empathy, Gratitude ,  Generosity , Trust and Kindness . Think of a time you were very grateful.

Everybody wins when generosity grows as it is NOT a zero sum game. 

Instead of asking –  “What can I take”, we ask “What can I give?”, you find that your actions begin to create a rich network of ripples and one begins meeting other givers and experience the Joy of connection and Purpose. Things move beyond the personal ego, and every contribution matters eg: corporate volunteering for a cause becomes a profound act of trust and fulfilment. When you count on people to be generous. It sparks something deep inside and when we grow these numbers you how the entire world will be better off.

The benefits of kindness extend not only to personal mental health but to the whole of our communities and environments. Through its transformative power, kindness can improve our lives and help us achieve the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations. For this reason, all of us have a shared interest in promoting it.

It brings hope when some commencement speeches touched on the role of empathy, kindness and more

• The resounding theme of Northwestern University’s 165th Commencement June 2023 was one of resilience, curiosity and empathy. Northwestern President Michael H. Schill encouraged graduates to live by three tenets as they enter their next chapter in a world that has seismically shifted: remain curious, do not be afraid to fail and overcome bias, racism and hate. “Engage with people who may not look like you, believe in what you believe or vote the way you do,” Schill said. “I hope you leave here with the fervent belief in the value of free speech, and also the value of having empathy for the people who listen to your words.”
• I also quote Actor Tom Hanks at Harvard University’s 2023 commencement address ‘ would you respect the law and the rights of all? Because if you don’t, who will ? When your food is brought to you, will you thank the server? Because if you don’t, who will? Would you pick up the litter that has missed the recycling bin? Because if you don’t, who will? When you vote your conscience and make sure your neighbour has the opportunity to do the same with theirs, because if you don’t, who will? When you make good on your victories and learn from your losses because both are the results of proud and noble efforts, if you don’t, who will?

Examples of kindness are everywhere. It’s just unfortunate that it’s bad news that sells. Ann Quindlen brilliantly says, “Life is made up of moments, small pieces of glittering mica in a long stretch of grey cement. It would be wonderful if they came to us unsummoned, but particularly in lives as busy as the ones most of us lead now, that won’t happen. We have to teach ourselves how to make room for them, to love them, and to live, really live.”