Butterfly Effect

I was at the Lowry theatre tonight with book club to watch Juliette Burton's Butterfly Effect.

Most of us find it hard enough being kind to ourselves - let alone others. So is being nice outdated? Or can small acts of kindness have big effects? Can kindness hold the power to change lives and dispel despair.

Juliette talked so openly about her mental health conditions, of which she sadly had numerous. She was sectioned at the age of 18 with anorexia as she was a month away from death, but then became a compulsive over eater, suffered with bulimia, bi-polar disorder, anxiety and OCD. 

The show was slightly manic at times but to go through so much, yet still stand on the stage to share her life with everyone was amazing.

The strapline for the show is #DareToBeKind and everyone had to write a suggested act of kindness on a slip of paper (for the next show) and to take one for ourselves (suggested at the previous show). I received "compliment a different stranger every day for the next week". 

She showed a video of her complimenting random strangers and it was really heart-warming and people seemed genuinely pleased to be thanked for the job they do or told that the colour of their dress really suited them.

A few moments hit a little harder. In 2012 she was handing out flyers for her show at the Edinburgh Fringe and said when she talks to someone, she tries to give them her full attention in that moment. A guy she had spoken to went to her show the following evening and told her that the kindness she had shown him, followed by listening to her show and realising he wasn't alone, made him decide not to commit suicide, the actual reason he had gone to Edinburgh. 

It really did make you realise that you never know when a kind word or a moment's genuine attention can actually change someone's world that day.

Quote for today:
No act of kindness is ever wasted.
- Aesop