COLUMN : let's be kinder - it's the holidays

did you have a look at the spicy coffee chocolate sauce with tofu skewers recipe i posted last week ?
if you did, you know that i was actually a part of a blog party hosted by kimberly from stunning food blog the little plantation, with the goal of supporting malawi coffee farmers.

if you want to know why we attended that blog party and what the deal is with malawi coffee farmers, you’ll find all the info in that post. so i hope all you coffee drinkers out there try making it malawi coffee next time !

anyway, today i want to talk about doing things like that. simple everyday good deeds that make us better people. like picking up a bag of malawi coffee beans.

i don’t want to talk about the big stuff. like donating tons of money, or deciding to go straight-edge vegan for the rest of your life, or quitting your job to volunteer saving the coral reefs for a year. all those things are amazing, but i want to turn down the volume just a little bit.

what i’m dying to talk about is the small gesture. choosing to bring warmth and light to this dark and cold time of the year.
choosing to be a person that shares kindness. being generous with my smiles and compliments. being respectful to, and curious about strangers i meet. not getting annoyed with the mean girl at the supermarket. not being scared to show that i’m impressed by talent. being on time for my appointments.

showing how grateful i am for being so privileged in life, that i’m eager to share my country, my money, and my neighbourhood with newcomers.

smiling instead of frowning.
giggling instead of sighing.
getting happy and surprised instead of offended and shocked.
curious instead of suspicious.

you get what i mean.
choosing to be generous. choosing to be grateful for what we have and sharing it with others, knowing that this – in the end – will make our lives happier, richer, and more beautiful.

this can be hard at times, i know. i believe that the only way to reach a state of mind where generosity and kindness is our default, is by being happy with where we’re going in life. happy people are kind.

so more than anything this winter holiday, i want you to be happy. take care of yourself. treat yourself with utter kindness.
and when the world gets a little nasty – try to giggle with surprise rather than gasp with shock.

love // jenny

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find more columns here.

this brand of coffee is a local portland brand i tried on my trip, called central city. they’re a non-profit brand, working to end homelessness in portland. they have no idea i’m writing about them, so i hope they don’t mind.