We asked entrepreneurs, artists, creatives and folks from every walk of life to share stories of kindness with us because we believe that hearing about kindness inspires more kindness. Our world needs more kindness.

Sally Urban

When the COVID-19 pandemic forced us to shutter our doors in March 2020, our studio was only 7 months old. We moved classes online overnight and our monthly revenue fell by 75%. There was so much unknown in those early days of the pandemic, and I was worried about the survival of the business. With the abrupt halt to our studio classes, I notified members that we would be pausing their monthly auto-payments, priced for our in-person studio experience, until we figured out how we were going to cope with the change. To my surprise, 30% of our members responded and said they would like to continue paying their full price membership despite not having in-person offerings. Read more>>

Estelle Clairoux

Kindness without honesty is not really kindness, and honesty without kindness is not really honesty. This is a lesson I learned early in my career and something I try to remember as an employer, a friend, and a parent myself. When I first started as an intern for an event production company, I was eager to please. I thought I should always say yes to anything and everything they threw my way. Ultimately I took on more work than I was comfortable managing in order to help others, always claiming that it was fine. My supervisor at the time quickly sat me down and asked how I was doing. He offered me the opportunity to explain myself and tell him the truth. Read more>>

Kelly carroll

This past year has truly been the toughest year i have ever experienced. My husband passed away unexpectedly in April. When I had announced that I was not going to be working for a bit and told everyone what happened, i found out how amazing my customers are. I had dinners dropped off at my door, flowers delivered, and so many amazing letters sent to me and my children. Life for me was a blur, but it was the kindest thing that really mattered the most to me. The customers I serve in my community really help me keep going. Read more>>

Ilana Lydia

My mother suffered with COPD and Congestive Heart Failure, a combination which made her have great difficulty breathing or catching her breath. For the last 5 years of her life or so, my most common memory was of her draped over an outdoor trash can, trying to get enough air on her way from place A to place B. She was a very spiritual person, and it was ironic that so many of the meditations and exercises she performed focused on the breath. I was away getting my Master’s in Theatre Arts (Directing) when she passed. My mind unhinged. They pulled me off my desk and put me on a gurney to take me to the local mental health facility. I was just at tech week for the show Fefu and Her Friends. My officemate and fellow director Sarah Jane Hardy took over the production and saw it safely through, although she was directing her own companion show at the time. Read more>>

Heather Levy

The kindest act anyone has ever bestowed upon me has been when a person commissioned me to paint something special for them. I have had great luck with my clients asking for me “to do my thing”. It is a great compliment to me as it demonstrates how much faith and respect they have in me and my work. I put a piece of my soul into each painting and strive to create new ways of looking at the world . It is so rewarding when someone appreciates it! Read more>>

Wendy Olson

As human beings, we are all in need of several things for survival. But past survival, there is a deep-seated need to be seen, known, loved, and heard. The kindest thing someone has ever done for me was to give me that and so much more. I was visiting a friend at her nonprofit in November 2018. I had worked in anti-trafficking before and was wanting to get back into the work after taking a two-year hiatus after a major burnout. She told me the best thing someone can do to have longevity in this kind of work was to know their story really well. This felt like a ridiculous statement to me. I knew my story. I knew it well. I’d lived it. And I was still living with the repercussions of it every day. I wanted to make a difference and to help people that had been dealt similar hands. Read more>>

Hannah Zale Carly Gibson

One of the kindest things anyone has done for us is let us take our time. Our bandmates Dustin and David Williams (brothers not related by blood) let us be free to wait for the right opportunities, the right songs, the right studios. They don’t threaten to leave for a more intense band experience, they don’t shame us for not producing at high speed. They show patience and care to our process and that makes all the difference to sustainability of a musical group. So much of our career as The Pussywillows has been filled with pressure to perform and release and promote, but during the pandemic, we decided as a duo that we didn’t want to be those people anymore. Read more>>

Denise Leslie

I was scaling up my business moving from a small office with 3 rooms 975 square feet into a retail space in downtown Sandy Springs. 1700 square feet. Complete buildout required. The owner of the strip mall for his reasons did not want to rent to me even though my business and personal credit was great, the required deposits where made, my business plan was forwarded to him, the working capital and bank statements where all in alignment with what wax required for the space- my broker wanted me to move on abs look at other opportunities in the community but I wax firm that the space he owned was the space for me, so I went to his office and met with him. Read more>>

Luna Medina-Wolf

In my story I want to share how luck I m for the several occasions kind people saved me and my journey. I grew up in Israel in a home fraught with conflict. My father was a verbally abusive man toward my mother. When I was 16 years old I can no longer bear the environment at home and after a physical altercation with my father I ended up leaving home. There are several women along my journey that helped me survive and persevere despite the challenges I faced. In my journey I had a social worker to support me and encourage me along the way. She helped me with the emancipation process within the legal system. She was ale to see my true self and helped protect me from my narcistic father. Read more>>

Linda Standard

Five years ago, I had taken four of my dog guests outside to play and have fun. Two of them were running towards me while I was watching another so I didn’t see them as they barreled into me and sent me flying up in the air. I landed horizontaly on my left knee and foot. Didn’t realize it then, but it caused a tibial plateau fracture. Fortunately, a friend happened to be at my house. I could barely stand. Michele went out and bought crutches plus came over four times a day for a couple weeks to let the dogs out and feed them. I was totally dependent on others to run my business. Someone else had to pick up water bowls or put food down since it was impossible for me to even walk down my stairs to get to the dog boarding area. Two other clients also volunteered to help and all three took shifts to feed the dogs plus let them outside. What angels!. Read more>>

Nina Johnson

I consider myself fortunate to be surrounded by wonderful people who shower me with kindnesses constantly. Among the most rewarding are those sent in my direction by the artists I work with. Most recently, a Kota figure from Gabon given to me by George Nelson Preston, with a note that reads ‘For nina, a true sister in art.’ Read more>>

JAI HUMBLE

I Was At A Low Point In My Life. Aug 4, 2018 When A Shift Happened That Changed My Life… My Producers Did The Kindest thing that Saved My Life They Believed In Me And Got Behind Me As My Production Team. That’s Something That You Can’t Forget And I Won’t Forget And I Will Always Do My Part As A Artist Putting My All In My Craft. Read more>>

Lisa Cardenas-Ludolph

About two years ago, my art studio shut down due to Covid. Shortly thereafter, my husband and I purchased a home in Oak Point, Texas and he started talking about his idea of building a studio for me in our back yard. At first, I was skeptical and incredulous! OMG! It was hard for me to picture it even after my husband showed me some sketches he had in mind. I just couldn’t get my arms around it until he drew it up in AutoCAD as well. I really couldn’t believe it until we started digging the holes and mixing the concrete for the piers by hand. We’re not quite halfway done but we are well on our way to having an interestingly design art studio. I feel so fortunate to have a husband who supports what I do! How blessed am I to be receiving a place to do my work. Read more>>

Madame L “YeYe”

The kindest thing someone ever done for me was from two of my clients. I had a client call me from South Carolina in a domestic violence situation. She needed to get back to her hometown in another state. I asked her if it was okay if I send someone to help. So another client that lived nearby picked her up from a safe location to get her to airport . When she arrived to her hometown, I had another client pick her up from the airport and to a shelter. That particular client was a counselor and able to help the young lady with resources to get back on her feet. This was so amazing to me that my wonderful network of clients was able to help this young lady. It shows you that people need other people sometimes. It also shows that there are still good people in the world. I don’t run a business,I have a little family. It’s amazing to me. Read more>>

Petrene Soames

When I was in my early twenties I went to India for a year. I was on my very own Holy Grail. This was over 40 years ago, at a time when it was very unusual for a European woman to do something like going and walking around India on her own. I survived on very little by taking things to sell at flea markets. One night I was very tired from walking all day. I came across a stone quarry where poor village women worked all night, carrying huge baskets on their heads filled with stones, carrying them from place to place. I laid down my bedroll and despite the lights that stayed on all night, the dust and the noise, I slept… In the morning, a small group of these women came up to me. Read more>>