In a world that sometimes feels hurried and chaotic, kindness might seem like a small, even insignificant, gesture. Yet, it’s precisely in these moments of kindness that we find the seeds of change, both in ourselves and in those around us.

Recently, I had the pleasure of working with Junior Achievement Chicago. This organization is making incredible strides in career exploration for students, particularly through their podcast, which now reaches about 5,000 students in grades 7 through 12. What makes this initiative particularly special is its thoughtful design. With each podcast episode, JA Chicago provides guided learning notes, making it easier for teachers to integrate the content into their classrooms without extensive preparation. This ensures that students get the most out of each episode, allowing them to explore various careers and the professionals who thrive in them.

As word spreads, I’m certain that more and more classrooms will embrace this resource, exposing even greater numbers of students to future possibilities. And that, to me, is incredibly exciting. The more we can connect kids with their futures, the more engaged they’ll be in their schooling today—and the better prepared they’ll be for tomorrow.

During my interview for the podcast, I was asked to share key takeaways for the students. One of the answers came to me instantly: Be kind. Be kind to yourself, and be kind to others. We often think of success as a personal achievement—a mark of how well we’ve done in life. But success extends beyond the individual. It’s also about the positive impact we have on the world around us. Kindness is a powerful tool in this regard. It costs us nothing, yet it can change everything.

Kindness is both an action and a way of being. It’s the choice to look beyond ourselves, to see the needs of others, and to respond with empathy and compassion. It’s the understanding that we’re all interconnected, and that the world becomes a better place when we choose to lift each other.

As you go about your day, I encourage you to look for opportunities to be kind. Be a good finder. Small acts of kindness—a smile, a word of encouragement, a helping hand—can create ripples that extend far beyond what we can see. These ripples have the power to inspire, to heal, and to bring people together.  

As I reflected on my parting comments about being kind, I began to wonder how we actually learn kindness. I don’t recall ever being formally taught this subject. Instead, I learned it by observing those around me who modeled kindness. But today’s world presents new challenges, and kindness feels more essential than ever.

So Blue Heron created a Kind Calendar, designed to help build the ‘kindness muscle.’ This calendar includes simple, actionable ideas for students to practice kindness every day for 30 days. Experts suggest that consistently practicing something for 30 days can turn it into a habit. We’d love to hear how this approach works for you. To this end, we are pleased to share the calendar resource with you.

If you’re interested in connecting with the Junior Achievement Chicago team for your classroom, I’d be delighted to connect you to their dedicated and talented staff.

It is our belief that when we are kind to ourselves and to others, we improve our own lives and we help make a world that is better for everyone. And this can only mean good things for our kids.

#SoarAboveAchieveBeyond