World Kindness Day promotes positivity

By Ashley Luthans

With so much negativity going around, Wednesday offered a special chance for people to be nice.

Nov. 13 is World Kindness Day, reminding people to be good to others. On Wednesday, members of Missouri Western’s Student Government Association handed out pins to recognize being kind.

SGA member Leo Newman said he believes that kindness is important, especially right now.

“There was negative feedback from the election,” Newman said. “There was good, there was bad, there was in-between. So we kind of just wanna brighten the mood and be the thing that, you know, shows kindness.”

Kristina Hannon, the co-CEO of the Family Guidance Center, said it is the responsibility of adults to teach kindness to children.

“I think when we engage in random acts of kindness, our kids see that,” Hannon said. “And I think that it promotes a sense in them of being kind to others. And if we want a more kind community, I really do think it starts there.”

Hannon said not only is it important to be kind to others, but also to yourself. According to Hannon, having a positive mindset makes you more likely to be kind to others.

Newman said kindness has other benefits.

“I think it’s important to show kindness because it helps create communication,” he said. “And if you don’t communicate, nothing happens and then that’s where hostility and stuff brew.”

Hannon said there has been an uptick in the number of people being diagnosed with depression and anxiety. She said that’s one reason it’s important to be kind to others, as you don’t know what they are going through.

“Across Northwest Missouri, all those providers who are engaging in providing behavioral health care, we are all seeing more people walk through our doors every day,” Hannon said. “And so I think it really prompts us to focus on how are we being kind to other people, how are we listening to other people and are we being the best friends and supportive people we can to each other.”