Have you ever wondered about the true power of a simple act of kindness? Imagine a world where each day is a little brighter thanks to gestures of joy and generosity. That's the world Kimberly Horch, an extraordinary mother of five and beacon of cheer from Idaho, dedicates herself to creating. On this episode of the Kindness Matters Podcast, we're honored to have Kimberly share her heartening story, from the early days of her high school's Day Brightening Committee to her vibrant present, where her Instagram is a canvas for her mission to spread joy.
Kimberly's approach to life is a testament to how impactful small, thoughtful actions can be. Hear how she and her children bring smiles to their community by leaving chalk messages, gifting hand-painted rocks, and warming hearts with home-baked treats. The magic moment when they transformed a neighbor's neglected yard into a haven of welcome is just one example of how Kimberly's philosophy on kindness not only connects people but also cultivates a legacy of compassion and community spirit.
As we wrap up our conversation, we delve into the importance of not suppressing the urge to be generous and how social-emotional learning can play a crucial role in guiding children through their feelings and interactions. We celebrate Kimberly's leap from crafting personalized stories for her little ones to authoring books that champion kindness and understanding. So, let Kimberly's journey inspire you, and remember, every act of kindness, no matter how small, can echo out into the world in ways beyond our imagination. Don't miss out on this uplifting episode, and be sure to tune in next week for more stories that champion a kinder society.
Do you dread Mondays? Does the thought of another Monday steal the joy of your weekend? Let me tell you about a product I have found and tried that can do away with the Sunday Scaries. Oddly enough, it’s from a company called Sunday Scaries. I have personally tried their products, gummies and tinctures and I can personally attest to their efficacy. If you go to their website and order any product, use the code Kindness20 to receive a 20% discount on your order.
Do you like good coffee? Are you like me and go to bed in anticipation of a great cup of coffee in the morning (and afternoon, maybe). Then let me introduce you to my newest sponsor, Coffee Bros. They have built their business on the cornerstones of sustainability, quality, consistency, and freshness. From coffee to brewing techniques to coffee and espresso machines, they should be your go-to for all things coffee. And if you order from them, use the code Kind10 to get a 10% discount on your order.
Did you find this episode uplifting, inspiring or motivating? Would you like to support more content like this? Check out our Support The Show Page here.
Have you ever wondered about the true power of a simple act of kindness? Imagine a world where each day is a little brighter thanks to gestures of joy and generosity. That's the world Kimberly Horch, an extraordinary mother of five and beacon of cheer from Idaho, dedicates herself to creating. On this episode of the Kindness Matters Podcast, we're honored to have Kimberly share her heartening story, from the early days of her high school's Day Brightening Committee to her vibrant present, where her Instagram is a canvas for her mission to spread joy.
Kimberly's approach to life is a testament to how impactful small, thoughtful actions can be. Hear how she and her children bring smiles to their community by leaving chalk messages, gifting hand-painted rocks, and warming hearts with home-baked treats. The magic moment when they transformed a neighbor's neglected yard into a haven of welcome is just one example of how Kimberly's philosophy on kindness not only connects people but also cultivates a legacy of compassion and community spirit.
As we wrap up our conversation, we delve into the importance of not suppressing the urge to be generous and how social-emotional learning can play a crucial role in guiding children through their feelings and interactions. We celebrate Kimberly's leap from crafting personalized stories for her little ones to authoring books that champion kindness and understanding. So, let Kimberly's journey inspire you, and remember, every act of kindness, no matter how small, can echo out into the world in ways beyond our imagination. Don't miss out on this uplifting episode, and be sure to tune in next week for more stories that champion a kinder society.
Do you dread Mondays? Does the thought of another Monday steal the joy of your weekend? Let me tell you about a product I have found and tried that can do away with the Sunday Scaries. Oddly enough, it’s from a company called Sunday Scaries. I have personally tried their products, gummies and tinctures and I can personally attest to their efficacy. If you go to their website and order any product, use the code Kindness20 to receive a 20% discount on your order.
Do you like good coffee? Are you like me and go to bed in anticipation of a great cup of coffee in the morning (and afternoon, maybe). Then let me introduce you to my newest sponsor, Coffee Bros. They have built their business on the cornerstones of sustainability, quality, consistency, and freshness. From coffee to brewing techniques to coffee and espresso machines, they should be your go-to for all things coffee. And if you order from them, use the code Kind10 to get a 10% discount on your order.
Did you find this episode uplifting, inspiring or motivating? Would you like to support more content like this? Check out our Support The Show Page here.
Speaker 1:
This podcast is part of the Deluxe Edition Network. To find other great shows on the network, head over to DeluxeEditionNetworkcom. That's.
Speaker 2:
DeluxeEditionNetworkcom. Kindness we see it all around us. We see it when someone pays for someone else's coffee or holds the door open for another person. We see it in the smallest of gestures, like a smile or a kind word. But it's different when we turn on the news or social media. Oftentimes what we hear about what outlets are pushing is the opposite of kind. Welcome to the Kindness Matters Podcast. Our goal is to give you a place to relax, to revel in stories of people who have received or given kindness, a place to inspire and motivate each and every one of us to practice kindness every day. Hello and welcome to the Kindness Matters podcast. Everybody, how are you? My name is Mike Rathbun and I am your host.
Speaker 2:
A couple of housekeeping notes first. As you noticed at the beginning of the show, we are a member of the Deluxe Edition Network and they have a couple of podcasts of the month, this month for the month of May, and the first one is Barrel-Aged Chicks. Are you a fan of the Barrel-Aged Flicks podcast? Are you into movies, pop culture, comedy? Are you curious about what the chicks think? If you answered yes to any of those questions, then you have to check out Barrel-Aged Chicks podcast. Come meet Sammy Snow, crystal, harley and Yen, as they give you the chick perspective on movies and so much more.
Speaker 2:
Second up Barstool Film School. This is a conversational comedy breakdown of some of your favorite flicks, old and new. Each episode hosts Dan Quarles and Cameron Roberts take on your favorite flicks to determine if they pass the bar and join the ranks of truly excellent bar movies. Good bar movies can be hit or miss, but you'll never know unless you take your shot First round's on them. Also, make sure to check out the show notes, where you'll find links and discount codes for two companies that I partnered with Sunday Scaries, a company that makes broad-spectrum CBD gummies, and Coffee Bros, that make an amazing blend of coffees and coffee utilities. I use both of these products and they are nothing short of amazing.
Speaker 2:
And now let's get into the show. Hello and welcome everybody to the show. I have such a cool guest for you guys today. My guest today is an author, a mom of five and a self-proclaimed agent of joy. I love that title. I don't suppose that could. I never mind. She bakes, she gardens and she paints all in Idaho, where she lives. She writes picture books full of joy and kindness and she runs the Instagram account, the Day Brightening Committee, where she encourages intentional kindness and making the world a brighter place. Welcome to the show Kimberly Hork.
Speaker 1:
Oh, thanks, I'm glad to be here.
Speaker 2:
So great to have you here. Welcome, welcome, welcome.
Speaker 1:
Thanks for inviting me.
Speaker 2:
You, and I don't remember how I found you oh.
Speaker 1:
On social media Yep.
Speaker 2:
It was on social media, I think I put out a call for guests. Now did you respond, or did somebody respond on your behalf? I think somebody said, hey, check this chick out um yeah, I don't remember.
Speaker 1:
I I'm just like, well, I just, I I'm kind of small, I don't have a big, uh, you know a big you don't have a huge social media presence yeah, a lot of your people do so you know and I don't know, maybe necessarily that's not necessarily a bad thing, um, but yeah, your Instagram is that.
Speaker 1:
That's where the primary focus is right on Instagram um, yeah, I mean, I definitely started just doing things in real life and then it's just been the last year that we kind of took this to social media and thought, you know, I think we could really um, you know, my family can decide if we could spread what we do more, if we're helping to inspire other people.
Speaker 2:
Yeah, and you are inspiring other people. It's so cool Because so now, mom of five kids, you're just at home in Idaho doing life.
Speaker 1:
Yeah, I just do life write books from home and all the things that come with having five kids being in the classrooms and all the field trips and soccer practice and all of that.
Speaker 2:
So yeah, Okay, so you homeschool.
Speaker 1:
You know I have in the past and this year. Most of my kids are full-time at school, so I do have a little bit of time during the day that they're actually all not here. But I've been off and on.
Speaker 2:
Not nice, I didn't mean it like that. Nice, your kids aren't there, cool.
Speaker 1:
That's not what I meant. That's what's working well for me this year.
Speaker 2:
That came out really bad. No, it's okay, that mic, what a jerk. But yes, I mean, with five of them every free time. All the free time you have is probably pretty special.
Speaker 1:
Um, yeah, it is so. Um yeah, I don't get a lot of, you know, like this is what I would really like to do on my own time, but, um, I think one of the things that I want to show people with my Instagram is that, even if you're super busy and obviously I have a lot going on that you can fit kindness into your life, that it can slide into places that you know, if you're just intentional about it, that you can make that work.
Speaker 2:
Oh for sure, and you do that really well. There are so many examples and we can talk about all of them, but how did you get into this? I mean, was it just you wanting to teach the kids about kindness and being nice to others, or what started this whole thing on a roll?
Speaker 1:
So the day branding committee itself started when I was in high school and I was, you know, just having a regularly scheduled bad day. And you know, after class my friend comes up to me. She goes what's wrong with, you know, the kids sitting next to me? And I was like I don't know, because I just been thinking about you know how my morning was going, and she's like he had his head down all morning. We should do something to make his day better. And I was kind of like, oh, ok, like whatever that sounds fine. And we ended up you know, some balloons and some things to decorate his car and his reaction was so amazing that I was kind of like, oh, wow, and I kind of forgot whatever it was.
Speaker 1:
I still don't remember, I remember the name of the kid, I remember what we did, I don't remember why I was having a bad day, and that was kind of a turning point for me. And so me and this friend, we started this thing we called the Day Brightening Committee and we started looking for people having a bad day and ways that we could um, the ways that we could help, and so, you know, we did that throughout high school and then I kind of it just kind of took it into. You know what I did from that point on and it wasn't until, uh, covid happened and you know that I kind of took you know with my kids were like what, what can we do together? That I kind of took you know with my kids were like what, what can we do together? And we kind of took that day brightening committee name back on.
Speaker 1:
You know I said we're going to do it and we're gonna we're gonna start to do this. So so yeah, that's kind of how that happened and and we'd kind of been doing it for a while and and I'd kind of been thinking like it'd be really cool if we could find a way to share this and inspire people, um, just because there is so much negativity, especially on social media um, to kind of be a voice of like there's people doing this like you won't be alone if you do this. So yeah.
Speaker 2:
So the kids are all like what can we do? And you're like well, let me tell you back in the day, mom was pretty cool exactly Pretty cool. Exactly, and we all have that person in our life who kind of like, sometimes is the impetus or the poker. Hey, let's do this.
Speaker 1:
Yeah.
Speaker 2:
And it'll be good. And so, around COVID time, of course, everybody's locked up.
Speaker 1:
Yeah.
Speaker 2:
And you're like, hey, what can we do? Hey, let's make other people's days better.
Speaker 1:
Yep, yep. And during that time we did a lot of chalk messages on driveways, a lot of painted rocks left on doorsteps, a lot of text messages and calls to people and cards. So you know those kinds of things I'm glad to be back to baking these days. I love baking and it was kind of for a while we couldn't take people things, so I'm glad to be back to that.
Speaker 2:
So you take people bake things. That's nice.
Speaker 1:
I love to do that, I think, especially if we see a moving truck on the street in the neighborhood. That's my cue we go home, we make bread and then we show up with bread because I'm like, even if people are like, oh I don't know if I want to eat that, it makes your house smell like home, right, right.
Speaker 2:
I love the smell of baking bread. That's so funny. I had a guest on one time and he does a lot of philanthropy work and he works with a homeless center in his area and apparently they make a lot of pear bread. Have you ever? You've never heard of it? I can tell by the look on your face. But they bring it so much that whenever he happens to drop by whether it's just you know, whether it's with baked goods or not they'll go. Pear bread, uh-huh, they'll go. Not this time. Yeah, because I think we've gotten a. I remember when I was in school every mom baked something, usually for your birthday, right, you'd bring cupcakes in, mom would bake cupcakes or what have you. And now it's like, yeah, we don't want that home-baked stuff because it has to be store-bought.
Speaker 2:
And I'm like no that's no fun I know it sucks.
Speaker 1:
It is a treat, I think, for people to get something that someone made you know in their kitchen, and that's not to say if you don't have time to bake something, that something you know from a store doesn't also say I love you, but there is. There is something I think special about. This is from my kitchen and it requires a little bit of trust, I think, between you and me, that that, true, you know that this is going to go well, so I like that also. I think it helps build connection.
Speaker 2:
So I totally agree. Yeah, because I mean again, you know, maybe they're not eating gluten, so whatever you bring might not fit in, but it does smell amazing and the thought behind it is the important thing.
Speaker 1:
Um.
Speaker 2:
I was watching one of your. I don't know if it was a story on Instagram or not, but you and the whole gang got into even cleaning up somebody's yard. Yeah, they didn't live there at the time.
Speaker 1:
Yeah, well, so it was a funny story. I think I know the one you're talking about. There was a neighbor and they were new but they had gone on vacation and I knew because I talked to them and she's like, yeah, we're going to go back and visit my family for a while and they'd been gone for it was like three weeks and it was summer and I was like they're first time homeowners and I was like I don't think they expected their yard to like go like it did, and it think they expected their yard to like go like it did. Um, and it was kind of the point, you could tell that nobody was there and you know, I was kind of like yeah, that just invites all kinds of skullduggery and right right what have you?
Speaker 1:
yeah, exactly. So I was getting a little bit worried and I was like I don't have a way to contact her. You know she's new, and so I thought, oh, so we just decided like we're gonna go do this and just hopefully it goes well, because I'd you know, I was like if it was me I would want someone to. So brought my kids over my son mowed the lawn, we kind of took care of weeds and like cut everything back, and it was ended up being she saw us on the um on her doorbell, and she saw us doing it and she told me later she's like I pulled my whole family. I was like, look, the neighbors are taking care of our yard.
Speaker 2:
That's so cool.
Speaker 1:
Yeah, it wasn't until later that she told me that she had decided that she wanted to stay longer with her family. But she realized she could see on her doorbell that her yard was getting out of control and she was like getting worried and so she'd like looked into finding companies that could come and, and nobody could do it until the next week.
Speaker 1:
And so she's like oh and then we just showed up and did it. We kind of acted on that, seeing a need and doing it, and she was so grateful that she was able to stay with her family because that had been a big concern for her as she was gone so long.
Speaker 2:
Oh, wow. It's like I want to stay, but I'm looking at my ring doorbell and my yard looks a mess. Yeah, and people are going to know and know and so yeah, so it ended up being one of those, one of those we were worried about, kind of like stepping in, but yeah you do you.
Speaker 1:
You're like well, how are they gonna take?
Speaker 2:
this right, and I mean just back to trust you, just trust that they'll take it with the in the in the way that it was meant, which was purely out of love and care and yeah, and kindness and and I think in all the time that it was meant which was purely out of love and care and kindness.
Speaker 1:
And I think, in all the time that we've been doing, you know, all of our day braiding, we have yet to run into someone who's really angry at us. I mean honestly. And so everybody, I think, everybody, I think, feels that love and as long as you, you know, you approach it carefully and kind of watch and okay, I don't see this. They know I'm going to go with it. We've only had good experiences.
Speaker 2:
Absolutely. That's so cool and this is something that the whole family gets involved in, right? Yeah, how old are your littlest ones?
Speaker 1:
My youngest twins are almost seven.
Speaker 2:
Okay, so they're old enough to pull weeds, and what have you? It's not like the state's going to get a call about child labor or something.
Speaker 1:
No, no, they actually. They're probably more into it than anyone else. They'll be driving home and they're like mom, I see trash, we should go get out and you know, pick up trash today. And so I think I think they get us out more than anybody else just because that's we've just been doing it so long. It's a part of who they are.
Speaker 2:
You, my friend, are a great parent.
Speaker 1:
Well.
Speaker 2:
I mean, and I think really and we see a lot of negativity in the world today and I hear about bullies and stuff like that and it's like what are those kids' parents teaching them? That they think that this is okay? Everybody has their parenting niche or their way of doing it. But I do think that as long as you've got like five kids who are going to grow up to be amazing human beings- that's honestly what I'm hoping.
Speaker 1:
I'm like every parent has different skills and different abilities and this is something that I can help teach my kids and hopefully they can take that with them as they go. I know that a lot of people, all of those large families out there, we hear a lot from people about like, oh, you must have your hands full and oh, look at all this that you're adding. You know the strain you're adding on the environment and I see it a very different way. I see it in a very different way. I see it as if I'm invested and if I'm helping to teach these kids what I want them to go forward with, then I'm now like multiplying the goodness in the community and I think that's so valuable.
Speaker 1:
I think that if we can raise, a generation of kids who think in kind ways, then that's the best thing that we can do for the future.
Speaker 2:
Yeah, I mean because we always talk and we talk a lot on this show about the ripple effect of kindness. Right, how one act ripples and you're like times five or seven if you include, because you and your husband we do, because you know you and your husband we do, um and and like that just exponentially boosts that wave of kindness out in the world and it's so amazing.
Speaker 1:
Talk to me about being weird um, okay, I'll tell you about inside joke, folks, you don't yes, um, okay, so one of the things that is really difficult about trying to do kind things a little bit what we talked about is you do kind of have to worry about like I hope I'm not stepping on toes um is, a lot of times I have to think like I I've got to do something weird in order to do something kind, like a lot of times that's just the way it is, um, and you have to like go up to somebody's door or you have to like ask a question that most people wouldn't ask, like you know how are you, or or what's really going on, or how can I help, like it's, it's a little bit weird and it's a little bit pretty, um, and but I think with, like with most other things, uh, the more you practice, the less weird it gets, um, and and sometimes I even catch myself, I had a video just this week about something that I thought you know I, I was driving home and I asked this lady who had just a little bitty baby and I thought, oh, how sweet I should, I should bring them something. And then I went well, what can I bring someone? I don't know at all, because that's a little bit weird. I don't want her to be weirded out that I know that she had a baby because I saw them outside, you know, and I spent a whole week just like okay, like what's not weird, and in the end I just realized it matters so much less like what it is, and it's just that I reach out and that makes such a difference.
Speaker 1:
And I think kindness has this kind of stigma about it. Where it's like it has to be, so be. So. People, I think, who are, who do negative things, and people, I think, who even talk about their passions, the travel influencers, the fashion influencers they're not worried so much. Like what are people going to think about this? So why? Why should we put that, you know, that filter on kindness? And I just think it, it just hurts everybody when we kind of put a like that, that would be out of my comfort zone, filter on kindness.
Speaker 2:
Yeah, and I think you're absolutely right because we do that. I know there was a lady in a grocery store. This was back Mm-hmm a while and it was like the very beginning of spring and, oh god, maybe was it last year, I don't remember, um, but at any rate she was in the store. She was in the grocery store and she had on this brilliant yellow blouse and I saw it and I'm like my eyes were drawn to it and I'm like, holy cow, that makes me happy, that brightens my day. Just the color of that blouse. It was so brilliant and so gorgeous.
Speaker 2:
And so and I almost talked myself out of doing it because I thought, you know, here's this strange guy in a grocery store and he's going to come over and he's going to compliment that blouse and I like, no, don't, she needs it or she, you know, maybe she doesn't, I don't know. She didn't look sad, but so I just I gathered up my courage and I walked over to, I said I'm sorry to interrupt your shopping, but that blouse just makes me happy. It's so bright and it's so colorful and it just made my day seeing it, thank you. And she, she did the. You know she was not expecting that and it made her day. She, she appeared, she said it made her day, but you know. But yeah, I think we stop ourselves a lot when we see somebody that maybe could use a little kindness and a certain part of our brain I don't know what part goes. You're going to make it weird, aren't you? Don't do that.
Speaker 1:
I usually overthink how weird it's going to be. Most of the time the reaction is just like it was with this lady like oh my gosh, thank you, um. And then we got to chatting and now I've got a new friend, neighbor, um, and that's just how it goes. I think there's this book that I just love and it's never suppress a generous thought and I think you just more often, you know when you, when you do it, then you'll find out how great it was. You know, when you suppress it, you just miss the opportunity for you and for the other person.
Speaker 2:
Right, yeah, Because really, when you're kind to somebody, I mean the obvious is that they get a lot out of it, but you really get a lot out of it too. I mean it makes for I bet your kids are like happy all the time.
Speaker 1:
Not always, but we're working on it and I one of the things that I'm just I'm hoping they learn and then I think they're starting to learn is that you know when they're having a hard time, which happens to everybody, right, Everybody has a day when the test didn't go well and you couldn't find the pants you wanted, and right that.
Speaker 1:
That happens even to my kids, even though you know I like love, sunshine and happiness. Hard things happen, but I think, and I hope that they're learning, that when you get outside yourself and you're thinking about other people, those issues that you're having there, yeah, they get minimized, they become less important and you spend less time thinking about them. And that's one of the great blessings, I think, of doing things for other people.
Speaker 2:
Yeah, now, and I did. I forgot to bring this up. You are also an author, I am, look at you. You didn't want to say anything.
Speaker 1:
Can we talk about my book?
Speaker 2:
No, I'll do it for you. Okay so, but you started just like drawing. Um, not drawing, it's not the word I wanted to write writing you started writing and illustrating.
Speaker 1:
That's what I was gonna say illustrating books for your own kids right, I I started writing books for my kids, the kind of things that I wanted them to have a book about and yeah, a lot of them were about things my grandparents did that I wanted them to know, or things like I wish I could find a book somewhere about working hard and seeing the influence of that, or being kind and seeing the influence of that.
Speaker 2:
So that's kind of how I started, yeah yeah and then, but now you're taking it on a bigger scale yeah, I do.
Speaker 1:
Um, my first book will be coming out next summer and I've got a few others that my agent's trying to find good homes for right now. Um, and a lot of them are just a lot of them are focused on kindness, because it is something that I really, really care about, and having an emotional understanding. I guess the books I write they're picture books but they're called SEL, so social emotional learning, and so it's a whole branch of kids' books about helping kids understand their emotions and how they relate to other people. So, but you can't, you can't find any of those out now and you'll yeah, don't go looking now.
Speaker 2:
Next summer Put it in the back of your mind, put it on your calendar.
Speaker 1:
Yes, was it next July. Next summer, yeah, next summer.
Speaker 2:
Okay, and what's the title of? You could change it, couldn't you?
Speaker 1:
It may still change between here and there, so I don't want to.
Speaker 2:
Okay, we won't mention it. Then Kimberly Hork look for starting next July. Start Googling Kimberly Hork book, yep, and you'll find it. That's pretty cool. You talked about social emotion. Why was that going to be hard for me? Social emotional learning what is social-emotional learning?
Speaker 1:
So I guess kind of just what it sounds like, but it's specifically working on social skills, interacting with other people. So you'll find in that category books things about maybe like bullying or making new friends, empathy, empathy and understanding. In that category books things about maybe like bullying or making new friends, empathy empathy um and understanding. And then the emotional portion is also understanding how that, um, how that affects you, um, and not just, not just social, but also understanding all of your emotions um and I think both of those are really important, especially in conjunction right now.
Speaker 1:
um, we have that, this epidemic of loneliness, and one of the things I'm hoping with my books is to help people understand that reaching out to other people helps both of you, and so if you're in a place of loneliness, the first thing I can recommend is trying to reach out and being weird and helping other people, because, chances are, the people around you maybe just as long as you are.
Speaker 2:
So yeah, for sure, and the only the only reason I brought that up is it's funny we have. It's a political thing and this isn't a political show, but there are members of the school board in the town that I live in that are trying to get rid of SEL in the schools and I just wanted to put it out there that this is not a bad thing. This is a good thing for kids to learn, and I don't know what their problem is with it and I don't care.
Speaker 1:
Yeah.
Speaker 2:
I think it's gotten a bad rap, but I think it's important for kids to learn understanding your emotions.
Speaker 1:
It's huge and I think understanding what other people are thinking and dealing with makes you more understanding and more kind.
Speaker 1:
I can't think of the number of times that we've done something for someone and then to hear their back story. If I knew their back story in the first place, like if I knew about this neighbor who wanted to stay but was having a hard time, of course I would go out and do it, but you don't always know. And so just coming from a place of you know, just assuming like this person could be having a hard time, or with the neighbor with a tiny baby, I remember what it was like to have a tiny baby and it's isolating. And it's isolating and it's, you know, you can feel overwhelmed and you can feel like maybe you're not. Like every everything that happens, you can feel like maybe you're not doing a good job and um, and so just to have someone who's saying like hey, I'm here, you know, is yeah, um yeah, loneliness plays such a huge.
Speaker 2:
And was it the Surgeon General who said that there's an epidemic?
Speaker 1:
Yeah, definitely, and you can see it on this, yeah, but yeah, that was the Surgeon General and he's got a really great paper that they wrote about it, looking at numbers and suggestions on how you can help, and that's one of the things that I hope to share on our Instagram. I do, you know, not just ways to like, reach out to people and encouragements, but every once in a while I'll give a challenge for like. Okay, from social media. Today, here's a way you can help somebody.
Speaker 1:
For example, to comment on someone's social media is more gives them more of a feeling of connection than just a like. So if you see someone who's maybe someone in your family, somebody that you actually know, and because they've done research and connections on social media with people you actually know in person are what's the word? They have a higher value. So if there's someone in your family who posts something, comment, don't just like it. Comment, say, wow, that's cool. You know it doesn't matter what you say, it can be an emoji, it really doesn't matter but that extra effort made to comment, we um, we internalized like someone made an effort to respond to what I had to say yes and that makes a difference.
Speaker 1:
So even just little little changes, you know, can make a difference. You didn't even get off your phone. It's just the difference between hitting like and hitting a comment and putting a heart button or a heart emoji makes the difference.
Speaker 2:
Yeah, perfect, that's so fantastic, and I shared one of your stories. You did a video about. What was it? Kindness after the fact.
Speaker 1:
Uh-huh yes.
Speaker 2:
And about teaching our kids that maybe you can't be the superhero that stands up to the bully, but you can be the friend after the fact. I love that. Can you talk about that?
Speaker 1:
Yeah, I can.
Speaker 1:
So one of the things I talk to my kids about at the start of the school year is I mean, obviously kids know bullying's bad right, they get covered that in school and they know that being hanging out with the bully, being on that side, is bad.
Speaker 1:
But I think it's really intimidating to be the you know, to feel like you have to be the one that says stop, you know. And I think it's important that kids know that even if something's going on and you can't think of the right thing to say and who hasn't been there right, you can't say in that moment that after the fact, you can, you can still help, there's still a difference to be made. You haven't lost that moment. Like the moment's not passed. You can still go up to that person who was bullied and say, hey, what they did wasn't right, that was mean, you know, and I'm I'm on your side and I agree with you that that wasn't right and and maybe even offer like next time, next time, so that you're not in that situation do you want to hang out with me over here or whatever but just helping kids recognize that there's a lot of things that you can do to be kind, and it doesn't mean always having to be that superhero.
Speaker 2:
Right, because that can be hard to stand up to a bully, and maybe we don't always have it in us to do that but it doesn't have to end there.
Speaker 1:
Right, exactly, it in us to do that. But you can. It doesn't have to end there. Right exactly, there's, there's always, you know, if you miss that opportunity there are more.
Speaker 2:
It's not over. Yeah, it's not over. So fantastic. Kimberly Hork, thank you so much for taking the time. I know I'm taking your precious time while you're kid-free, but trust me, it's not lost on me what you're giving up and I appreciate you taking the time to come on the show and talk to us about it.
Speaker 1:
Yeah, I'm so glad. Thank you for inviting me and giving me the opportunity to talk about what I love so much and what I think is just so important. I hope that everybody listening can maybe feel a little bit inspired. You can fit it into your day, you can. It might take a little creativity and it might be a little bit weird, but you can do it.
Speaker 2:
Oh fantastic. I will be in touch and we'll let's do this again when your book comes out.
Speaker 1:
Sounds fun Okay.
Speaker 2:
We'll plug the book, all right, thanks.
Speaker 1:
Thank you so much.
Speaker 2:
So much fun to talk to Kimberly Hork, the head day brightener, on the Day Brightening Committee. Go, make sure to check them out. The link will be in the show notes over on Instagram for the Day Brightening Committee. So many great ideas on ways to just make people's days a little better, to be a little kinder, and it's so fantastic to talk to her. She's so full of energy. I really love it. Make sure to look for her book next July or next summer, and that will do it for this episode of the Kindness Matters podcast.
Speaker 2:
As always, I hope that you found something in this episode that you can take away and use as motivation or inspiration to spread a little more kindness in your world. We will be back again next week with another brand new episode, but, of course, until then, be that person who roots for others, who tells a stranger they look amazing and encourages others to believe in themselves and their dreams. Please don't forget to follow us and check us out on all of your favorite social media platforms Facebook, instagram, tiktok. We're all there. Check those out and give us a follow, if you'd be so kind. Thank you, you've been listening to the Kindness Matters podcast. I'm your host, mike Rathbun. Have a fantastic week.