Month: February 2026 Page 1 of 2

“Love and kindness are never wasted. They always make a difference. They bless the one who receives them, and they bless you, the giver.” Barbara De Angelis.

In last week’s blog, I mentioned random acts of kindness day. This day is an important way to highlight the positive influence a kind act can have. However, I believe that kindness is something we should look to express throughout the year and not just once-a-year.

The subject of kindness reminded me of a lovely piece of writing by the author Nikki Banas. She has written a couple of books. Her first book, ‘Shine from Within’ is a collection of poetry in the form of letters that touch your heart and inspire hope. The follow up book, ‘Along the Way’ is a collection of letters to inspire light throughout every journey.

I have included something that she wrote below. It’s a reminder of how important it is for us to come from a place of kindness and understanding in our interactions with others. It’s a short and simple piece but has a very powerful message.

Don’t wait to be kind By Nikki Banas.

You never really know the true impact you have on those around you.

You never know how much someone needed that smile that you gave them.

You never know how much your kindness turned someone’s entire life around.

You never know how much someone needed that long hug or deep talk.

So don’t wait to be kind.

Don’t wait for someone else to be kind first.

Don’t wait for better circumstances or for someone to change.

Just be kind, because you never know how much someone needs it.

You will be familiar with the phrase, “it’s better to give than receive”. This is backed up by much research, which suggests that there are many benefits to us being kind. It makes us healthier, happier and can improve our results. It gives us a greater sense of wellbeing, makes us more emotionally resilient and reduces our stress levels.

People have many different motivations for performing acts of kindness. These can range from the desire to give something back, to make a difference or to feel more purposeful. It can be as simple as wanting to feel good. I always think it feels great to brighten someone’s day and to give them a reason to smile.

It’s my belief that no act of kindness, however small, is ever a waste of energy. They can take many forms and range from planned activity such as volunteering our time to a worthy cause to more spontaneous acts. It doesn’t have to involve money.

I believe that we can all help the world to be a better place by committing to making kindness a part of our everyday lives. There are many simple ways we can all perform small acts of kindness and it’s never too late to start.

Today could be the perfect day to begin a routine of kindness.

This week, why not take a few moments to pause and reflect. Consider what you can do to bring more kindness to the world every day.

To arrange a free no obligation consultation, please contact Stephen Pauley via the contact form or by e mail: Stephen@befirstclass.co.uk

“Never believe that a few caring people can’t change the world. For, indeed, that’s all who ever have.” Margaret Mead.

It’s Random Acts of Kindness Day in many countries tomorrow (February 17^th) and individuals are encouraged to perform acts of kindness and spread positivity. Given all the challenges, conflict and negativity in the world at present, it seems like a good opportunity to do something positive.

Random Acts of Kindness Day is dedicated to promoting kindness and goodwill among individuals. It encourages people to engage in simple, unexpected acts of kindness to brighten someone’s day and create a ripple effect of positivity in their communities. The day serves as a reminder of the power of kindness and compassion in making the world a better place.

The concept of Random Acts of Kindness Day began in 2004 in New Zealand and has since spread to various countries. The day is supported by the Random Acts of Kindness Foundation, which was established in 1995 to promote kindness and provide resources for individuals and organisations to engage in acts of kindness.

By participating in Random Acts of Kindness Day, individuals can help foster a culture of kindness and compassion, inspiring others to do the same. It is a wonderful opportunity to spread love, compassion and positivity through small, unexpected acts of kindness.

Here are some ideas to inspire acts of kindness:

• Give Compliments: Offer sincere compliments to friends, family and even strangers to brighten their day.
• Pay It Forward: When you are at a coffee shop or drive-through, pay for the order of the person behind you.
• Send Thoughtful Messages: Send uplifting messages or notes to friends, reminding them of your appreciation and support.
• Help a Neighbour: Assist a neighbour with tasks like household chores or grocery shopping.
• Donate to Charity: Contribute to a charitable organization or cause that you’re passionate about.
• Visit the Elderly: Spend time with elderly individuals in nursing homes or assisted living facilities, offering companionship and a listening ear.
• Volunteer Your Time: Volunteer at local charities, shelters or community events to make a positive impact.

An act of kindness can be the foundation for great change in the world and be a contribution to making it a better place. I’m hoping that one day that we become a kinder and more tolerant society. I really hope that in the future we see more community spirit, people looking out for each other and treating each other with more respect. It would be great to see more generosity of spirit and kindness.

Are you motivated to be part of the change to create a kinder, more generous and respectful world? If so, why not pause for a few moments to reflect and consider how you can make a difference to the life of others by performing random acts of kindness.

To arrange a free no obligation consultation, please contact Stephen Pauley via the contact form or by e mail: Stephen@befirstclass.co.uk

    “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence then, is not an act, but a habit.” Aristotle.

In last week’s blog, I talked about how many people abandon their New Year resolutions in a matter of days. I suggested that a step-by-step approach to changing your lifestyle can be effective. This includes mastering behavioural change before you move onto another. This helps with focus and means that you do not have to seek to make a whole lot of changes all at once.

Habits play a major role in our results in life. We truly are creatures of habit as research suggests that 90% of what we do each day is habit. Every day from the time you get up to the time that you retire to bed; there are hundreds of things that you do the same. This will include the way you shower, dress, eat breakfast, brush your teeth, drive to work etc.

If you want to achieve new things and get different results, you need to develop new habits.

The positive aspect of habits is that they free up your mind while your body is on automatic pilot. For example, you can plan your day whilst you are in the shower or driving to work. The negative aspect of habits is that they get locked into our sub-conscious mind and create self-defeating patterns that can inhibit our growth, limit our performance and prevent us from fulfilling our potential.

It was Einstein who said the definition of insanity is doing the same thing repeatedly and expecting a different result. If you want a different set of results, you must adopt a different approach. Your established habits are producing your current level of results.

If you would like to create improved results, better relationships or greater happiness, it is important that you create great healthy habits that help you to maximise your opportunities and fulfil your potential.

Habits can hinder rather than help you and limit your results in life. These include overcommitting your time and spreading yourself too thin, an inability to say no to unreasonable demands, not effectively managing distractions and interruptions, procrastinating and not following through on plans.

Some healthy habits that will allow you to be the best you can be include:

• Creating a list of key priorities and plans each day.
• Establishing a regular sleep pattern.
• Returning calls and replying to e-mails within 24 hours.
• Spending time with positive people.
• Exercising for 30 minutes and drinking 2 litres of water each day.
• Limiting the amount of time that you watch TV.
• Increasing the amount that you read and learn new things.
• Keeping the promises that you make to yourself and others.
• Being assertive and effectively managing interruptions.

 
Changing and creating habits takes time. As a result of comments made by Dr Maxwell Maltz in his book Psycho-Cybernetics published in 1960, it has been believed that it takes a minimum of 21 days to break and change a habit.

Research by University College London in 2010 stated that it may take as much as 66 days for a new habit to fully form. They suggest that the duration of habit formation is likely to differ depending on who you are and what you are trying to do.

This week, why not pause for a few moments to reflect. Consider what healthy habits you need to develop this year to help you achieve your resolutions and goals.

To arrange a free no obligation consultation, please contact Stephen Pauley via the contact form or by e mail: Stephen@befirstclass.co.uk