The Kindness Rocks Journal. Megan Murphy

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      Copyright © 2019 by Megan Murphy.

      Published by Mango Publishing Group, a division of Mango Media Inc.

      Layout & Cover Design: Elina Diaz

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      Kindness Rocks Journal: A Creative Journal for Reflection and Inspiration

      Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication number: 2019938544

      ISBN: (print) 978-1-64250-082-0, (ebook) 978-1-64250-083-7

      BISAC category code: SELF-HELP / Affirmations

      Printed in the United States of America

      Introduction

      Thank you for your purchase of The Kindness Rocks Journal. This is the first step toward making yourself a priority and taking some much needed time for personal reflection.

      The following rock prompts aim to heighten personal insight and generate a greater perspective that will benefit not only yourself, but those around you as well.

      Each inspirational message presented by way of a Kindness Rock may have many meanings depending on what situations you are currently dealing with. That is why we have created this reflective journal. One rock message can have a completely different meaning for various life situations and/or experiences. No two people will view a rock in the same way. Our past experiences and perceptions generate our reaction to the prompts.

      Becoming curious and reflective is the first step toward living a more authentic and joyful life. Today, many of us are distracted by social media, hectic life/work schedules, and unrealistic expectations that we assign to ourselves, so we rarely take time to reflect. To be honest, often reflection can bring up thoughts that we would rather not give our attention to. It is important to be able to “allow” these thoughts to come and go, through curiosity. Our thoughts often appear as “white noise,” meaning they arise as subliminal negative self-talk which we rarely question. We simply accept this noise rather than questioning where it stems from.

      We all have this negative self-talk, and the keys to overcoming it are quiet and reflection. I realize this sounds counterproductive as, in the silence, you might expect the noise to get louder. It is just the opposite. Trust the process. When we sit and focus our attention on these thoughts and challenge them, they seem to evaporate. The quiet actually drowns out the noise and, lo and behold, a different voice arises. This voice is nourishing, self-assured, and truthful. This is the voice that has been trying to get your attention, and, in the quiet, she will reveal herself and come out of hiding. She has been waiting for you to notice her and, once you do, she will help guide the way toward living your beautiful, authentic life.

      When we take the time to reflect upon the things that bring us joy and we are grateful for, we become more aware of these things as they show up in our everyday lives. We then begin to look for the “good” in each moment rather than focusing our attention on the negative things happening in the world around us. We become a light for others by cultivating a greater, kinder, and more compassionate perspective.

      May these prompts provide you with the insight you are seeking, and may you then begin to share this greater wisdom with others; each one of us has a responsibility to leave this world a better place than we found it!

      In Gratitude,

       Megan Murphy

       Founder of The Kindness Rocks Project

      How to Use This Journal

      This journal was created for all of the kind souls who have followed and joined The Kindness Rocks Project because you felt a tug at your heart to do so. Thank you for spreading kindness in your community. It is important to take time to return that kindness to yourself!

      Your interest in this journal is an indication that you are curious about finding more joy in your life. The Kindness Rocks Project community is ready to embrace you and help guide you through this self-reflective experience. There is a rather large group of project members across the globe here to support and encourage you along the way as you discover the powerful combination of self-reflection and kindness and the impact it can have on your life.

      Keep your journal handy, on your nightstand or by your favorite chair, so that you will be reminded to take time daily for reflection. Let this journal act as a reflective guide rather than as yet another thing to do on that never-ending to-do list of yours. Writing in this journal daily is a simple way to find peace among all of the chaos—one day, one page at a time.

      All around the world, there are many, just like you, embarking on a journey of self-reflection and self-discovery. Join us on social media by using the hashtag #TheKindnessRocksProject. There you will discover many more reflective Kindness Rock messages created by other creative project members. There is so much we can learn about ourselves and even more to discover about others when we look for ways to connect with one another. We are all the same kind of different, and when we heighten our compassion and empathy for others, we increase it for ourselves.

      “We need to treat others the way we want to be treated.”

      —The Golden Rule

      Reflect on a time when someone unexpectedly offered you a compliment or did a kind gesture for you. How did that make you feel? You may wish to include thoughts about your initial reaction as well as the lasting impression it made on you.