You have probably been in a position where kindness is not easy or the first thought, especially when it is not given to you. It wasn’t my first thought when a young professional cancelled on me as I was en route to our scheduled coffee. I had checked my email at a stop light and noticed one had just come through from the woman I was driving to meet. She was cancelling on me because she was working on a big project that demanded her time that morning. I was quite frustrated and thought, “how rude!” and by email! I pulled into a parking lot to respond to her message and show her a thing or two about courtesy, timeliness, picking up the phone to call, and professionalism.
A Teaching Moment
I made this a teaching moment for sure.
“Thank you for letting me know. I wish you the best on your project.”
After I got through the first wave of emotions, those of frustration and annoyance, the next wave of emotions came through – feelings of empathy and grace. I remembered back to the difficult grind of building my business on my own. I was a young 26-year-old trying to be everything to everyone and show them I could do it all. I cancelled on some folks, caved under the pressure to perform for my clients, and stretched myself too thin trying to check all the boxes. In that moment, I did show her. I showed her kindness.
Recognize Opportunities
What to do with myself now? I still had plenty of work to be done, so I could have gone back to my home office…or I could use this as an opportunity. I had already blocked time on my calendar for this coffee appointment, so I decided to take this opportunity to find a quick, new date. I drove to Nannie’s (my grandma) to surprise and have coffee with her. “My piece of pie!” she exclaimed as I walked in the door.
What came to me that day was Be Kind in the Grind – a mantra that reminds us we cannot always control the circumstances, but we can control how we respond. This mindset encompasses our own core values, underscores how we operate, and provides a solid foundation for the growth of our clients.
Whatever it is, do it with kindness in your heart. You could be working with, talking to, standing beside, meeting with, or writing to someone who is doing their best to not fall apart that day. Don’t be the person who causes them to crumble. Be the person who helps them stand taller. Project your kindness onto others and teach them through your actions. I am a firm believer that kindness is contagious, and every day is a new opportunity to spread kindness to others.
Join Us
What better way to remind yourself and others to Be Kind in the Grind than cool merchandise? When you purchase, wear, or share a BKITG shirt, you are not only supporting a small business, you are outwardly spreading kindness with the world!
On this Random Acts of Kindness Day, Join us! Act with a #BeKindInTheGrind spirit. Share how you extend kindness in your own grind, or what kind of impact it made when others extended kindness to you!
Five Important Business Lessons
