Creating kindness, fostering connection and acting with compassion: Random Acts of Kindness Week almost here

By What Matters to Hatters Coalition on February 11, 2025.

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. 

“Wherever there is a human being, there is an opportunity for kindness.”

– Lucius Annaeus Seneca

Did you know – performing kind acts for others, even toward strangers, significantly improves mental wellbeing by reducing stress, increasing happiness, boosting self-esteem and fostering social connection? It’s important to look out for each other in and around our community to protect and maintain good mental health for all.

Did you know – kindness is teachable? “It’s kind of like weight training.” A study conducted at the University of Wisconsin found that people can actually build up their compassion ‘muscle’ and respond to others’ suffering with care and a desire to help.

Did you know – kindness is contagious? The positive effects of kindness are experienced in the brain of everyone who witnesses a kind act, improving their mood and making them significantly more likely to “pay it forward.” This means one good deed in a crowded area can create a domino effect and improve the day of dozens of people!

Random Acts of Kindness Week is Feb. 9-15, and we hope you will help make kindness the norm! Today, and every day, we encourage you to keep an eye out for an opportunity to help someone by completing a random act of kindness.

Let somebody merge while in traffic. Reach out to someone who is having a tough time. Look in the mirror and say three positive things about yourself. Leave a positive review about a local business or restaurant. Use a reusable water bottle. Text someone “good morning,” or “good night.” Organize a community cleanup.

“Kindness can be the greatest gift that you can give a person. Especially when they are not expecting it.”

– Raktivist

This month we celebrate Raktivists – Random Acts of Kindness Activists. These are the people who turn ordinary days into something special with small, thoughtful gestures – like a sincere smile, or offering a seat on the bus.

These acts of kindness reconnect us with our humanity, reminding us of the love in the world and inspiring us to pay it forward. Let’s make kindness the norm and be community Raktivists!

As our monthly articles in the Medicine Hat News come to an end, we are excited to continue recognizing local kindness champions on our What Matters to Hatters Coalition Facebook page. Follow us for more Kindness Champion stories!

What Matters to Hatters is hosting a free listening event called Sidewalk Talk on Feb. 25 from 11 a.m. to noon at the Medicine Hat Regional Hospital Ambulatory Care Atrium – 2nd floor.

Sidewalk Talk offers heart-centered listening to anyone about anything. Our mission is to reduce loneliness, promote inclusion and enhance social health through the practice of listening. We hope you will join us!

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

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