You have probably been in a position where kindness is not easy or your 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 in 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 extremely 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.”

In the same wave of the first emotions came empathy and grace. It hit me like a ton of bricks – it was hard when I was in the 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 already blocked time on my calendar for this coffee appointment, so let me 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. Your grind might be:

• Working your butt off to get it done
• Pushing to obtain a goal
• Working beyond capacity
• Hard work-ethic
• Hustle and grit
• Checking boxes
• A big project
• The daily things
• Pushing buttons or turning gears
• Back-to-back appointments, phone calls, or meetings

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 that causes them to crumble. Be the person that helps them keep standing. Project your kindness onto others in hopes they too will follow. Every day has opportunities, your words and actions will dictate where they take you.

Join Us

What better way to remind yourself and others to Be Kind in the Grind than cool merchandise? When you purchase and wear a BKITG shirt, you are not only supporting a small business, you are outwardly spreading kindness with the world!

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!

Regardless of the journey ahead, behind you, or in the moment, remember to Be Kind in the Grind – we are all in pursuit of something!

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