On my walk this morning, a couple was hard at work trimming shrubs and debris. I smiled and waved. It was a quick openhanded gesture, meant to signify friendliness. In evolutionary terms, greeting strangers with open hands is a gesture meant to inspire trust or at a minimum convey the message that you do not intend to do harm.

I greeted 2026 with hope. I selected my word for the year-Play, in the same spirit. I eventually came to view my star word-Stability, as an inspired choice. These past four weeks have proven to be more challenging than I had hoped for and each day a new event that leads me to question where is our willingness to lead with an open hand to a stranger. 

When I begin to despair at our world at large, I remind myself to lean into the actions I can take. Usually, slowing down is a good start. Whether it means slowing down enough to say hello to a friend when I see them on the street or at the grocery store. Slowing down may be responding to a nonurgent text or email when I have the time to check in with the sender and ask how they are doing. Slowing down may be not scheduling my day so full that I find myself running from one thing to the next breathless and harried, even if that is ‘running’ from Zoom to Zoom.

Kindness requires a slower pace. Adopting a slower pace is easier said than done. Our world is continuously churning out news. Our devices are constantly vying for attention and our interaction. Our culture rewards the early bird, productivity, and efficiency. 

Want to know a secret? Kindness is a secret weapon. Kindness builds connections. Kindness is contagious. If you have always wanted to be a bit of a rebel then here is your chance. Practice acts of kindness now.

xx-Kristan