It’s Random Acts of Kindness Week so I thought I would use random acts of kindness as this week’s focus. It is such a pleasure to brighten someone else’s day, and often it really doesn’t take much effort or time.
Is there something you can do for someone this week to make their life a bit easier and more fun? It doesn’t have to cost a lot of money or be a grand gesture. Simply saying hello to someone who looks a little sad as you pass them on the street, or letting someone go in front of you in line at the grocery store can make a big difference. The media often encourages us to focus on the negative, but there is a huge amount of loving kindness in the world. Sharing it brings light to both the receiver and the giver.
Whether your blog posts are old or new, as long as they are about things that feed the soul, they are welcome here at The Hearth and Soul Link Party! Things that feed the soul may include (but are not limited to) recipes, decorating, crafts, family, home, DIY, organization, travel, book reviews, the arts and self improvement.
What’s Been Happening
Spring is definitely on its way, but visits from Storm Ciara and Storm Dennis have meant we have had some very heavy weather in the UK. A warming breakfast is a great way to start the day when it’s windy, rainy and cold outside.
It’s definitely worth getting out of bed for this delicious Baked Overnight Oatmeal with Rhubarb and Almonds.
And at the end of the day, it’s all about comfort food.
Beef and Ale Stew is a traditional British favourite, and it is definitely featuring on our menus. You can eat the stew the day you make it, or make it ahead and keep it in the fridge for a day or two. It tastes great either way, but I think the way the flavours mellow after a day or two in the fridge makes it even more delicious.
Spring is a wonderful time of year for visiting some of the beautiful, historic, stately homes we have in the UK.
Nuffield House near Henley on Thames may look relatively ordinary from the outside, but inside it is anything but! Join me as I Step Back in Time at Nuffield House and share the amazing scenes within.
Thank you to everyone for visiting and sharing!
Random Acts of Kindness Features
For this week’s features I looked for posts that offered things that could be used to help inspire us to perform random acts of kindness every day. Featured posts from top left, clockwise:-
Making a meal extra special is a lovely way to perform a random act of kindness, and Ramona at Create with Joy has shared a fun way to do this with her sweet Heart Shaped Fritattas.
A small treat or food gift, particularly homemade, can be a random act of kindness in itself. Nancy C encourages us to Wrap Up Some Valentine Goodies. A small, prettily packaged sweet treat is welcome all year round too.
Sometimes the kindest act you can perform is to sit with someone and just listen, or sometimes even just sit with them and hold their hand. Stephanie of Abbots at Home shared plans for a beautiful DIY 2 x 4 Outdoor Sofa, a lovely place to sit and just be with somebody who needs a little love and understanding.
Helping someone with a New Year’s Resolution or long term goal can also be a random act of kindness. I know so many people (including myself) who want to read more this year. Helen and her daughters at 3 Winks Design have tips to help, as well as book recommendations in their post 10 Books You Can Read In One Month.
Okay, on with the party!
The Hearth and Soul Link Party
*Please help me get the word out about the party on social media using the buttons at the top and bottom of this blog post. Thank you!*
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What will you bring to the party this week? I look forward to your posts!
Thanks for hosting April and SO excited to be featured at the party!
Have an amazing week! 🙂
It’s a pleasure, Ramona! I hope you are having an amazing week too!
I didn’t know it was Random Acts of Kindness Week! Thanks for letting us know. A number of your featured posts pique my interest.
It’s a pleasure, Barbara. I hope you enjoy the posts!
Thank you for hosting, April! Nothing brings more joy than to bring a smile to someone’s face when simply holding a door open or helping them reach something in the grocery aisle. Have a beautiful week!
I agree, Suzan. It really makes my day as well. I hope your week is beautiful too!
Always fun to come and join your weekly party! Have a great start of the week..
Thank you so much, Nora! I hope your week is going well!
Hello April
The world can always use more kind acts. I try my best to smile and compliment people I come across every day as it is such an easy thing to do and brightens my day as well. Thanks for hosting this thoughtful link up every week!
Cheers, Pat
This is so true, Pat! I’m glad performing random acts of kindness brings you as much joy as it brings me 🙂
Thanks so much for including the “Wrap Up Some Valentine Goodies” in your features this week! 🙂
My pleasure, Nancy!
Thanks for hosting the fun April and enjoy the week. I’m sharing this week what I accomplished from my January bucket list.
I hope you enjoy the week too, Julie! I’ll be interested to see how you are getting on with your list 🙂
April, I always enjoy the variety of links at Hearth and Soul and appreciate your taking the time to be such a gracious hostess.
Thank you so much, Jean!
I love that it’s Random Act of Kindness week. I’ll have to think of what I can do. Thanks for sharing these links. I’m off to read the book link!
Thank you for visiting and sharing, Lisa!
Love that comfort food and we always need to be kind. I try to be kind everyday.
Thank you, Patrick. That’s wonderful! I hope you are having a lovely week 🙂
It’s amazing how just a tiny, little bit of effort can make such a difference! Thanks for hosting! I brought by some Sticky Rice Rolls (Fan Tuan). Hope you enjoy. 🙂
This is so true, CJ! Your Sticky Rice Rolls sound lovely – I look forward to the recipe!
Thank you for hosting each week.
Thank you for visiting and sharing, Anita!
Thank you for hosting! This is what I featured the week of 2-1- to 2-14 on my blog. On Tuesday a Slow Cooker Irish Soda Bread with Raisins. Wednesday I featured a BBQ Brisket Shepherds Pie. Thursday I featured my Crock Pot Corned Beef and Cabbage. And winding up Crock Pot Week I posted How Not to Make the Worst Crock Pot Meal Ever. It is part of my Tip Friday Series. Enjoy!
Lots of comfort food, Marilyn, that’s perfect for this time of year! Thank you for sharing!
Hi April! Thanks so much for featuring our 10 books post! I love the random acts of kindness theme. I am trying to be more mindful of kindness that others may need. I have so often been blessed by the kindness of others.
It’s my pleasure, Helen! I have also been very blessed by the kindness of others. I hope you are having a lovely week.
What a lovely theme this week April. It certainly doesn’t cost anything to be kind to someone and it can make such a difference in someone’s life. Thanks for another great party and have a good week.
I’m so glad you like it, Judee! What you say is so true. I hope you are having a good week too.
Thanks for informing us that it’s random acts of kindness week!
My pleasure, Lauren! Thank you for visiting 🙂
Thanks so much for hosting! I am linking up with A GATHERING OF FRIENDS LINK PARTY 12, I AM MARTHA
AND VALENTINES DAY GIFT CARD HOLDERS
Thank you so much for visiting and sharing, Sylvia!
Thanks so much for hosting! I’m linking up with my UNLIMITED MONTHLY LINK PARTY 9 where I leave a comment and share all entries on social media if share option is available, open February 1 to 26; my A THEMED LINKUP 11 for Handcrafted Jewelry where I leave a comment and share all entries on social media if share option is available, open February 15 to 25; and a short story challenge ARE YOU US? (SCULPTURE PROMPT).
Totally agree that the news media encourages us to focus on the negative. I stopped watching the news years ago. I do scan the headlines in the newspaper just to keep up with things going on in the world. It’s so much easier to approach the world with kindness when the paranoia is left behind.
Michelle
http://mybijoulifeonline.com
I’m so glad I’m not alone in not watching the news, Michelle! 🙂 It’s so lovely not to be caught up in the negativity. Like you, I do scan the headlines and keep an eye online, but it truly is easier to enjoy life without the negative commentary the media often provides.