Kindness Matters: The Holiday Season is a wonderful time to focus on compassion

By What Matters to Hatters Coalition on December 10, 2024.

“Unexpected kindness is the most powerful, least costly, and most underrated agent of human change.”

– Bob Kerrey

In partnership with the Medicine Hat Drug Coalition, What Matters to Hatters is focused on reducing stigma related to substance use and mental illness in our community through our third annual Kindness Campaign.

This month is focused on compassion, “The feeling that arises when you are confronted with another’s suffering and feel motivated to relieve the suffering.” Research has shown that when we feel compassion, our heart rate slows down, we produce the “bonding hormone” oxytocin, and regions of the brain linked to empathy, caregiving and feelings of pleasure light up, often resulting in our wanting to approach and care for other people.

One way to we show compassion is through active listening. Listen more than speaking. Actively consider what others are telling us through their words and nonverbal indicators. Listening with a compassionate ear offers non-judgmental understanding and as we offer support, people will believe that we are available to them again in the future. Even just letting someone know that you’re available to talk can have a positive impact on their mental health.

Why not focus less on what is “wrong” with someone and instead lift others up through compassionate caring that empowers others to increase wellbeing. Let’s create environments where empathic, compassionate understanding is the norm rather than the exception!

What Matters to Hatters is hosting a free listening event called Sidewalk Talk on Dec. 23 from 11 a.m. to noon at the Medicine Hat Regional Hospital Atrium near the Gift Shop. Sidewalk Talk offers heart-centred listening to anyone about anything. Our mission is to reduce loneliness, promote inclusion, and enhance social health through the practice of listening. We hope that you will join us!

This month’s Kindness Champion is Ma’z & Pa’z Caring Association. Established five years ago on May 1, 2019, Ma’z & Pa’z provides items, including clothing, housewares, bedding, kitchenware, blankets, etc., to anyone needing support.

Ma’z & Pa’z Caring Association is searching for an indoor space as they continue to outgrow their current space and are limited to operating seasonally as they currently operate outdoors. They are also working to become a registered charity through various fundraising initiatives to create additional opportunities to provide support in community.

Although Ma’z & Pa’z is closed for winter, they are still accepting donations and continue to help those needing support. Please reach out to them via Facebook – Ma’z & Pa’z Caring Association. Thank you to those who have supported Ma’z & Pa’z and thank you for being such an incredible support in our community!

The Kindness Matters column is put together by members of the What Matters to Hatters Coalition and will run monthly throughout the organization’s annual Kindness Campaign

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