Random acts of kindness at UNM

Adopting a pet offers an abandoned pet another chance at life. Often shelters are over-crowded and not able to take in more animals. Take one off their hands and give it a home! Also, individuals and families who own dogs are often more active, taking their dogs for multiple walks a day. And pets are great reminders to enjoy the little things in life: rolling in the grass, playing ball, a good belly or ear scratch, chasing toys. Who can resist a soft, purring, ball of fur curled up next to you on the couch? No one!Do you know how your personal choices can influence how the environment behaves? Do you have habits you can change in order to help the environment?As our society continues to grow technologically, our carbon footprints are also growing. But many people don't know or care about the impact they have on the environment. To reduce environmental pollution, we must first understand what it is, and the part we play in it. Has someone made a difference in your life? Maybe it’s a teacher or professor who made a difference in your education; a coach who believed in you and inspired you to do your best. Maybe that person is a grandparent who raised you or a mentor who helped you choose your career path. Why not tell that person in a letter or card how they have inspired you?View the list »
A sincere smile is a very kind and meaningful way to make a positive difference in someone's day. Without using words, a smile says to a person “Hi, I hope you have a nice day”. People appreciate being noticed and acknowledged, especially with a friendly smile. Smiling at a stranger is a positive human interaction that seems to be infrequent as people get caught up in their daily tasks. So next time you are at the store, walking down the street, or going to work or school, acknowledge someone with a smile.

Holistic Health newsletter

Students at the University of New Mexico are working hard to calm the current bad vibes in Albuquerque caused by such recent events as its former President’s legal troubles over prostitution, other New Mexico educators also breaking bad sexually (including a Buddhist Zen Master), recent on-campus physical attacks on women, political dueling over late term abortions occurring in the state, the development of nuclear drones at near-by Sandia Labs, and guns.

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The UNM Division of Student Affairs is organizing the annual celebration of Random Acts of Kindness Week on the UNM campus this week through Friday, 17, 2013. Several events are planned, including Kindness goodies at various locations around campus, Valentine card creation station to benefit UNM Children's and Carrie Tingley hospital patients and The Associated Students of the University of New Mexico (ASUNM) Community Experience Blood Drive. The students have also created an ingenious online list of 282 kindness ideas that residents might find useful in doing their part to promote kindness in the Duke City. Click here to read all the ideas and see below to read the ten ideas that we like best for maintaining wellness.

View the list
  • A sincere smile is a very kind and meaningful way to make a positive difference in someone's day. Without using words, a smile says to a person “Hi, I hope you have a nice day”. People appreciate being noticed and acknowledged, especially with a friendly smile. Smiling at a stranger is a positive human interaction that seems to be infrequent as people get caught up in their daily tasks. So next time you are at the store, walking down the street, or going to work or school, acknowledge someone with a smile.
  • Has someone made a difference in your life? Maybe it’s a teacher or professor who made a difference in your education; a coach who believed in you and inspired you to do your best. Maybe that person is a grandparent who raised you or a mentor who helped you choose your career path. Why not tell that person in a letter or card how they have inspired you?
  • Do you know how your personal choices can influence how the environment behaves? Do you have habits you can change in order to help the environment?As our society continues to grow technologically, our carbon footprints are also growing. But many people don't know or care about the impact they have on the environment. To reduce environmental pollution, we must first understand what it is, and the part we play in it. 
  • Adopting a pet offers an abandoned pet another chance at life. Often shelters are over-crowded and not able to take in more animals. Take one off their hands and give it a home! Also, individuals and families who own dogs are often more active, taking their dogs for multiple walks a day. And pets are great reminders to enjoy the little things in life: rolling in the grass, playing ball, a good belly or ear scratch, chasing toys. Who can resist a soft, purring, ball of fur curled up next to you on the couch? No one!
  • Living a long life is a great gift to those who receive it. There are many gratifying things that come along with old age.Many people look forward to experiencing a slower lifestyle, a relaxing retirement, the joy of being able to meet their children’s children and the satisfaction of greater knowledge and understanding. But, the not-so-good aspects of aging, such as loss of mobility and loss of vision can be very frustrating. Take some time to share a book with an elderly person who may not be able to see or read alone. 
  • Giving your full attention to children is a simple way to show them they are loved. Reading together can also be a very relaxing way to bond with a child you care about.For families, reading together is a great way to spend quality time with each other. Reading to your children can also be a way to share positive messages with them, and to ensure that they are learning your family values and traditions, in addition to what they already learn at school. 
  • There are numerous National Parks and Forests, Wildlife Preserves, State and Regional Parks all over the world. People will often travel from foreign countries to visit some of the more famous parks: Banff National Park in Canada; Yellowstone, Yosemite, and Rocky Mountain National Parks in the US; Lake Victoria in Africa. Occasionally the trails in these parks need some repairs and maintenance: picking up loose trash, moving trees off the trail, restoring rock retaining walls, etc.You can help today! Visit your local national park websites and see if they have a volunteer day. Many offer multiple days in a season, and even some overnight projects! 
  • When someone does something nice for you, return their generosity with a pleasant thank you note to let them know you appreciated their kindness.  In this day of technology many people will send emails or text messages. Be different! Think about sending an old fashioned snail-mail type of thank you note. Dig out your stamps and address book and send a note in the mail!  It will be an added delight for your friend or family member to get physical mail.
  • Offer to rake your neighbor's leaves, or to mow their lawn. While you are raking your own lawn, don't be afraid to just keep going and rake your neighbor's yard, too! This can be a particularly helpful kind act if your neighbors are elderly, or if they are just really busy and often away from the house. Do it while they are out and think how surprised they will be when the get home to a beautifully raked yard!
  • Have you hugged someone recently? Hugs can communicate a number of things: A hug is a great way to let someone you care about them; It can be a way to comfort someone who has experienced loss; or it can be a way to say "hello" to a friend.Whatever the situation, giving a hug is a simple act that’s sure to brighten someone’s day! Plus, research shows that hugs release dopamine, lower blood pressure and heart rate. Who doesn't want to be relaxed and happy? 
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Suggested by the author:

, Albuquerque wellness Examiner

George Peknik focuses on the sense of place and how cultures interact. He is a retired international educator and instructional designer. His published books are "The Meaning of the Boulder-Dushanbe Teahouse" and "The Cheyenne Canon and Broadmoor Guidebook & Almanac." He taught ESL for 16 years...

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