Kindness in Community is Contagious!

In our ever-technical world of Zoom meetings, video conferencing, and social media, there can be a disconnect to the true authentic nature of real-live and real-life connections.

It can be difficult to share a moment of kindness in a virtual world, especially in a world where COVID made us feel weird about connecting.

We try, yet I personally still feel a gist of disconnectedness and long for a return to the normal-ness of in person, eye to real-eye, smile to real-smile ease of connection.

We are slowly returning.

We are slowly returning. I sense an awkwardness when we are in live situations, like we are re-learning past behavior, in a new and better way.

For example, the other day I was on a nature walk in my neighborhood.

I notice a family I hadn’t seen for a while in the distance. Inside I felt a zing of happiness, YAY! My friends! At the same time, I also felt a zap of uh-oh… how do I act?

In pre-COVID days

In pre-COVID days, I would have instantly hugged them, sharing my joy of seeing them after so long. Post-COVID, what’s the protocol? Hugs, or no hugs? Handshake, or no handshake? Smile from afar? Or smile up close?

We approached each other and stood apart, in a moment of awkwardness. We mutually sensed to go in for a hug, and vulnerably asked, at the same time, “is it ok to hug? I feel like we should hug.”

We hugged.

We hugged. It felt so good as we exchanged the shared energy of human-to-human touch and loving-kindness. And we instantly fell into a beautiful story exchange and catch up with each other’s lives.

In that moment I was reminded of the power of touch coupled with kindness. This moment wasn’t superficial. It was real, authentic, mutual loving-kindness. And it was contagious! Soon we were all hugging each other!

We modeled compassion, connection and kind community. We showed each other consideration, vulnerability and openness. This experience opened my heart to fill with love, my lungs to inhale life giving hope, and my spirit to soar with the ease of inter-connectedness.

We were thriving in that special moment, expressing kindness in community.

Kindness in community is contagious, let’s spread it all around.

Note to self…

Note to self… it’s ok to feel awkward, and to share that you feel so. Vulnerability is courage, and we all need courage as we explore what it is to reconnect in community.

How are you sharing kindness in your community?

You are loved, Nicole

Nicole Vienneau, MSN, RN, NC-BC earned her Master's degree in Nursing Science & System's Leadership from the University of Arizona (go Cats!), and believes it's important to continuously learn & grow in life’s journey. 

She achieved an Integrative Nurse Coach board certification through the American Holistic Nurses Credentialing Corporation & graduated with an Advanced Nurse Coach certificate from the International Nurse Coach Association (INCA), & a certificate in Advanced Clinical Nutrition in an Integrative Nurse Coaching Practice from the Institute for Functional Medicine & INCA.  

She is Faculty with the Integrative Nurse Coach Academy and an approved supervisor for Nurse Coach students, a Functional Aging Specialist and Brain Health Trainer with the Functional Aging Institute, a Menopause Fitness Specialist, a certified National Fitness Presenter with the American Council on Exercise & Personal Trainer with the Athletics & Fitness Association of America, a 200 YTP Yoga Instructor with the Yoga Project (Thailand), a former Reebok Sponsored Fitness Athlete, Educator & Wife, Daughter, Sister, Friend & Crazy Cat Lady.