The Kindness & Compassion Experiment

Picture








Our Happiness Sprinklings Signs spend a lot of time in schools, from Kindergarten to Middle Schools and High Schools.

Following an invitation to participate and speak at the Fontana, CA Anti Bullying Summit, I decided to create a program that would either complement an existing anti-bullying curriculum, or possibly bypass it.

Kindness is a natural byproduct of Compassion, which occurs when we feel a deep sense of kinship towards others - our classmates, students, teachers, friends or family members.
Part One: a tangible and expressive reminder of how little we know about what might be taking place in someone else’s life and heart.

Part Two: an invitation to freely, silently observe each other, witnessing how easily and readily we label one another.

Part Three:  an exercise in being guided towards anonymously and visually sharing what weighs on our hearts, as well as witness the same in others. The contrast in the way we respond when now looking at one another allows for a natural state of Compassion to bubble up. It also brings to our attention how similar to one another we are in the challenges that we face. Compassion automatically invites Kindness,

Part Four: a Happiness Sprinkling brings levity to the Experiment, and allows us to express what we just experienced, as a team. We are now deeply aware of how little we know about strangers’  challenges and bringing messages of Kindness and encouragement is the natural  - and FUN - progression.
As we ask students to demonstrate a higher level of tolerance and humanity, it is vital that we provide them with effective ways of accessing these values. It is our responsibility as leaders to trigger and nurture these qualities in our students, in order to create a culture where  bullying is simply unable to survive.

The Kindness & Compassion Experiment does not teach nor preach. Instead, it sets a supportive, interactive, powerful, joyful and collaborative environment for participants to reach within their own hearts, and access these essences. It is the perfect companion to any anti-bullying program, and also stands on its own. It is recommended that staff and parents be invited to take part, alongside students.

I look forward to sharing The Kindness & Compassion Experiment with your school.