November has always held a special place in my heart. It’s a month that reminds us to appreciate the little things, love our people a little harder, and remember that sometimes the smallest gestures leave the biggest impressions.
Somewhere between Halloween candy and Christmas decorations, Thanksgiving seems to get a little lost in the shuffle. But I’m not ready to skip over the season of gratitude! There’s something pretty wonderful about taking a moment to recognize all the good around us, even when life isn’t always easy.
❤️ A Birthday, a Memory, and a Little Extra Kindness
November is also my birthday month, and with it comes some bittersweet memories of my “cousin twin.”
For those who don’t know our story, we were born just 23 minutes apart, in the same hospital, delivered by the same doctor, to two sisters. He was the older twin, and boy, did he love reminding me of those 23 minutes! As kids, I found it terribly annoying. As adults, it became one of those little things I absolutely treasured.
I miss him. His humor, his love for his family, his animals, his favorite snacks, and his appreciation for really good food. He was definitely the more adventurous eater of the two of us!
And he was, without question, the kinder twin.
He had a way of showing up for people. Not with grand gestures or expectations, but simply because helping someone was the right thing to do. Kindness just came naturally to him.
One of my favorite memories from his final months was how much he loved my sister’s homemade banana bread. Now, anyone who knows me knows bananas aren’t exactly at the top of my favorite-food list! But I finally ate a banana muffin in his honor, and wouldn’t you know it, I actually enjoyed it. I think he would have gotten quite a kick out of that!
💕 Keeping His Kindness Going
Last November, I challenged myself to do one random act of kindness every day in his memory. What started as a way to honor him became something that filled my own heart in ways I hadn’t expected.
So, I’m bringing it back!
30 days. 30 opportunities to make someone’s day a little brighter.
Some days it might be donating food, surprising someone with a coffee, mailing a handwritten note, or checking in on a friend. Other days it might be as simple as offering a genuine compliment, holding a door, or giving someone a little extra patience.
Nothing fancy. Nothing that requires a lot of money. Just little reminders that we all have the ability to make someone’s day better.
And here’s the fun part — I’d love for you to join me!
Do you have a favorite way to spread kindness? A thoughtful little gesture that always makes someone smile? Send me your ideas! I’m always looking for new ways to sprinkle a little goodness into the world.
🎉 Let’s Make Kindness Contagious!
I’ve also got a Kindness BINGO on my website if you’d like to grab a copy and play along. It’s a fun way to get the whole family involved, especially the kids! Imagine how many smiles we could create if we all did just a little something extra this month.
You can dowload the Kindness BINGO here.
Because the beautiful thing about kindness is that it doesn’t stop with the person receiving it. It has a way of finding its way back around.
As we head into this season of gratitude, I hope you’ll find a little time to slow down, enjoy your people, appreciate the ordinary moments, and maybe brighten a stranger’s day along the way.
We can’t always choose what life brings us, but we can choose what we put back into the world. And I choose a little more kindness.
So here’s to November, to gratitude, to the people we love, and to those we carry with us in our hearts.
And to my cousin twin — Happy Birthday to us! ❤️
You may have been 23 minutes older, but I’ll always be trying to catch up to your kindness.
And yes, I’ll be having that extra scoop of ice cream for you. Some traditions are just too good to give up! 🍦❤️