Nine Months of Kindness

By late 2019, I had an idea to correct some of the negative attitudes that had crept into my thinking. So what's a writer to do?

I know. Write a book about the process.

 And then to share took with others. Just in case anyone might be curious to read what I learned along the way or embark on a attitude shift of their own.

The topic was simple. I wanted to explore simple, reachable, and attainable ways to be more kind. 

I also wanted to be more aware of the kindnesses of others (not necessarily directed at me, just in general) of the many, varied, and even subtle ways people display kindness.

So on January 1, 2020, I wrote the first entry. And I continued writing one each day for the next nine months.

Or to be more realistic, I often jotted a few notes as placeholder text and then caught up on the actual writing when I had more time.

Most of the entries are brief - a few lines or a couple short paragraphs.. Only one entry, I believe, runs into a second page. So if you wanted to read just one each day, your commitment time would be less than five minutes - and that would include opening the book.

And isn't the cover art beautiful? My daughter Rebekah designed it from one of her photos. 

Here is the back cover summary:

They say “kindness” begins at home, and home starts with the person in the mirror. In “Nine Months of Kindness,” writer/editor Denise M. Baran-Unland spent part of 2020 exploring ways she could become kinder to herself and the people in her life. She shares her experiences, and her reflections, in this book.

Ironically, Amazon released the book on January 15, the day I turned fifty-nine and a half and also the day I began my eighth year as the features editor at The Herald-News.

You may purchase Nine Months of Kindness here.

And for an immediate reflection on kindness, visit check out this blog post by WriteOn Joliet member and poet Holly Coop: https://hollycoopauthor.wordpress.com/2021/01/03/spread-the-virus.