Ripple Effect of Kindness (S4) S37E4

Welcome to the Inspirations for Your Life Podcast, hosted by me, John C. Morley—Serial Entrepreneur, Engineer, Marketing Specialist, Video Producer, Podcast Host, Podcast Coach, and most importantly, a passionate lifelong learner. In every episode, we dive into the powerful forces that shape our lives, and today, I want to share something timeless with you: the incredible ripple effect of kindness. Because kindness is not just an action—it’s a choice, a philosophy, and a way of living that can change the way we experience the world.

So, let’s explore the 20 powerful truths about kindness and why choosing it can transform both your life and the lives of others.

1️⃣ Kindness is free—spread it like sunshine. Unlike material gifts, kindness doesn’t cost anything. When you choose to be kind, you generate light that naturally brightens the lives of those around you. Just like the sun rises, kindness has no boundaries—it reaches everyone it touches, bringing comfort, hope, and warmth without asking for anything in return.

2️⃣ The strongest power is choosing to be gentle. In a world that often equates strength with force, true power lies in gentleness. Kindness is not weakness; it is deliberate restraint. When you respond with compassion instead of harshness, you are choosing a higher path that influences more deeply than any act of dominance ever could.

3️⃣ Kindness is never wasted, it always returns. Every act of kindness creates an impact, even if you don’t see it. Like a boomerang, kindness has a way of circling back into your life when you least expect it. That one small gesture today may come back as encouragement, opportunity, or even love tomorrow.

4️⃣ Silent acts of kindness speak the loudest. Some of the most profound acts of kindness never make the spotlight. A hug at the right time, a listening ear, or even a smile during someone’s darkest hour—those small, quiet gestures often carry the heaviest weight and echo for years.

5️⃣ Your small kindness could be someone’s big hope. What you think is minimal could mean the world to someone going through struggles you can’t see. A kind word, a supportive action, or just being present has the power to turn despair into hope.

6️⃣ Choosing kindness is choosing humanity. Kindness is what connects us as people. It strips away barriers, labels, and divisions, reminding us that at the core, we all crave respect, dignity, and love. Choosing kindness is choosing to reaffirm what it means to be human.

7️⃣ Kindness is contagious—start the chain. Like a spark that lights up a candle, kindness can spread limitlessly. When you decide to be kind, you inspire others to act in the same way, creating a ripple effect that goes far beyond your circle.

8️⃣ Kindness isn’t weakness, it’s strength under control. Contrary to the belief that kindness makes you vulnerable, it’s actually one of the greatest demonstrations of inner strength. It takes confidence and discipline to respond with kindness instead of negativity.

9️⃣ A kind choice today builds a better tomorrow. Every decision you make to act kindly paves the way for a future full of compassion. That choice may shift someone’s entire perspective, influence their actions, or inspire a chain reaction of goodness.

🔟 Carry kindness like armor in a harsh world. Life can be tough—filled with criticism, judgment, and pain. But when you choose kindness as your armor, you protect yourself from hardening while still radiating love that shields others, too.

1️⃣1️⃣ The easiest gift to give is a smile. One of the simplest yet most powerful gestures is a smile. It breaks tension, dissolves barriers, and communicates kindness universally, regardless of language or culture.

1️⃣2️⃣ Kindness is the universal language of connection. People can disagree on almost everything—but kindness is always understood. It cuts through cultural divides and unites people in a way most things can’t.

1️⃣3️⃣ Be the reason someone rediscovers hope. Sometimes people are on the verge of giving up. A kind gesture might be what pulls them back from despair and reminds them that goodness still exists in the world.

1️⃣4️⃣ Kindness amplifies when shared. Unlike material possessions that diminish when divided, kindness grows stronger the more it spreads. Every act expands its impact, enriching both the giver and receiver.

1️⃣5️⃣ Storms pass quicker with a little kindness. Life’s storms are inevitable, but kindness can ease the journey. Offering kindness during difficult times helps people weather challenges more gracefully and with less pain.

1️⃣6️⃣ A kind act is a seed for future courage. When you perform an act of kindness, you plant hope and bravery in someone’s mind. That seed may one day empower them to rise above fear and act with confidence.

1️⃣7️⃣ Kindness costs you nothing but means everything. It doesn’t require wealth, status, or resourc

Episode Transcript

(00:24):
Well, hey guys, it is John C.
Morley here, serial entrepreneur.
It's great to be with you this evening
in case you're wondering, well, it is Tuesday.
This is September 9, 2025 and a big
welcome everyone.
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well, welcome.
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(00:45):
many times, well, of course, welcome as well.
Hey, I just want to go grab my
water, which is sitting here right on the
counter.
Don't want to forget that.
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want something to eat, feel free to go
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that out after the show.

(01:07):
It's 24 hours a day that we offer
it.
You can get short form content, long form
content, all kinds of great stuff, even my
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All right, guys, so our master topic for
the week, in case you're wondering what that
master topic is, it's the mindset that shifts,
that changes things.

(01:27):
Yeah, that's pretty cool, right?
And so the granular topic for tonight is
a really, really good one.
You're ready for it, ladies and gentlemen.
Here it is.
Ripple Effect of Kindness, Series 4, Show 37,
Episode 4.
Yes, yes, yes.
So I've got my water here.

(01:48):
Feel free to get yourself a snack.
Maybe it's fruit, maybe it's nuts, maybe it's
something sweet, maybe it's something salty, maybe it's
something tart, whatever it is.
Feel free to get that and hurry on
back to the show.
All right, guys, so welcome to Inspirations for
Your Life podcast hosted by myself, John C.

(02:09):
Morley, serial entrepreneur, engineer, marketing specialist, video producer,
podcast host, podcast coach, and most importantly, a
passionate lifelong learner.
In every episode, I dive into the powerful
forces that shape our lives.
And today, I want to share something timeless

(02:31):
with you.
And that is the incredible ripple effect of
kindness.
Because kindness is not just an action, folks.
It's a choice.
That's right, guys.
It is a choice in our life, a
choice, a philosophy.
And not just a philosophy, guys, but guess

(02:53):
what?
A way of living that can change the
way we experience the world every day.
So let's explore these 20 powerful truths that
I've put together for you guys about kindness
and why choosing it, well, can transform both
your life and the lives of others.

(03:15):
And that's pretty important.
Number one, guys, kindness is free.
That's right.
There's no fee for kindness.
You won't get a bill for kindness, okay?
So spread it like sunshine.
Spread it like wildfire.
Unlike materials, gifts, kindness doesn't cost anything.

(03:36):
When you choose to be kind, you generate
light that naturally brightens the lives of those
around you.
Pretty cool, right?
Just like the sun rises every day, kindness
has no boundaries.
It reaches everyone it touches, bringing comfort, hope,
and warmth without asking for anything in return.

(04:00):
That's pretty cool.
Number two, guys, the strongest power is choosing
to be gentle.
In a world that often equates strength with
force, true power lies in gentleness.
Kindness is not weakness.
It is deliberate and a restraint that can

(04:22):
really make a difference in your life.
When you respond with compassion instead of harshness,
you are choosing a higher path that influences
more deeply than any act of any dominance
ever could or would.
Number three, guys, kindness is never wasted.
That's right, guys.

(04:42):
It's never wasted.
It always returns every act of kindness creates
an impact.
Even if you don't see it, like a
boomerang, kindness has a way of circling back
to your life.
When you least expect it, that one small
gesture today may come back as a encouragement,

(05:04):
an opportunity, or even love tomorrow.
Number four, guys, silent acts of kindness speak
the loudest.
That sounds hard to believe, but it's true.
Some of the most profound acts of kindness
never make the spotlight.

(05:25):
A hug at the right time, a listening
ear, or even a smile during someone's darkest
hour.
Those small quiet gestures often carry the heaviest
weight and echo for years to come.
So remember that ripple can show up when

(05:46):
you least expect it.
Number five, guys, your small kindness acts could
be someone's big hope.
What you think is minimal could mean the
world to someone going through, well, struggles, a
crisis.
You can't see what they're going through.

(06:06):
A kind word, a supportive action, or just
being present has the power to turn despair
into hope.
That's pretty amazing.
That could be a smile that you decide
to give someone.
It could be a wave.
You could hold a door for someone.

(06:26):
It might be a compliment that you give.
But that word or that action that you
chose to elicit can really make someone's day.
I'll give you an example.
There was somebody at the register at one
of the local food stores, and I always
pay attention to their name because of Dale

(06:47):
Carnegie.
He said, you know, one of the most
important things to people is to hear their
names said correctly.
And that's the most pleasant word for people
to hear in the English language is your
name.
So this person was at the register.
Let's call him Mark.
That wasn't his name, but I'll say.
So when he finished rigging me up, I'm

(07:08):
like, hey, Mark, thank you very much.
Thanks, Mark.
Have a great day.
And I said his name a couple of
times.
Thank you, Mark.
Have a great day, Mark.
Appreciate it, Mark.
And so that kind of resonated, right?
For the moment, I'm like, here's my card,
Mark, you know, because it was at one
of these BJ's or Costco.
And he really lightened up to that.
A lot of people just don't take the

(07:29):
time to look at somebody's name tag and
say their name properly.
And if there's a name I don't know,
I'm like, oh, that looks like a beautiful
name, but I know I'm going to destroy
it.
So can I ask your help in helping
me pronounce it?
Sometimes they will.
Sometimes they'll say, well, give it a try.
Close.

(07:49):
And then they appreciate that you're doing that.
All right.
Number six, choosing kindness is choosing humanity.
Kindness is what connects us as people.
It strips away barriers, labels, and divisions, reminding
us that at the core, we all crave

(08:11):
respect, dignity, and love.
Choosing kindness is choosing to reaffirm what it
means to be human.
People are human, even though they may not
admit they want to be human, they are.
Number seven, guys, kindness is contagious.

(08:33):
Yes, like a very great disease, but this
is a good one.
Contagiousness, right?
Start the chain like a spark that lights
up a candle.
Kindness can spread limitlessly.
When you decide to be kind, you inspire
others to act in the same way.

(08:56):
Breath, creating a ripple effect that, guess what,
goes far beyond your circle.
That's right, because you don't know what impact
you're going to have on someone that might
tell someone else.
You have no idea.
Number eight, kindness isn't weakness.

(09:19):
It's strength under control.
Contrary to belief that kindness makes you vulnerable,
it's actually one of the greatest demonstrations of
inner strength.
It takes confidence and discipline to respond with
kindness instead of negativity.
When I have somebody that's abusing my kindness,

(09:40):
I was like, hey, listen, don't take my
kindness for weakness because it's not.
I think when you do that, they sometimes
wake up and are like, whoa, I didn't
realize I was doing that.
Then they don't do it anymore.
Some people do think that because you're kind,
they can just exploit you.
That's something you want to set people straight

(10:00):
right away.
Number nine, a kind choice today builds a
better tomorrow.
A kind choice today builds a better tomorrow.
Every decision you make to act kindly paves

(10:25):
the way for a future full of compassion.
That choice may shift someone's entire perspective, influence
their actions, or inspire a chain reaction of
goodness to come about.
I know that sounds hard, but I want
to tell you that this is truth.

(10:45):
This is the real, this is the real,
real deal.
I know what you're probably saying.
It's hard to understand these things.
It can be very, very hard, but it's
about truth, guys.
It's about truth.
You're ready for number 10?
I know you are.
Number 10 is this.

(11:07):
Carry kindness like armor in a harsh world.
Life can be tough, filled with criticisms, judgments,
discomforts, and pain, but when you choose kindness
as your armor, you protect yourself from hardening

(11:29):
while still radiating love that shields others too.
That's like jaw dropping if you ask me.
Number 11, the easiest gift to give is,
I've said it before, a smile.
Smiles are free.
A smile can brighten someone's day across the

(11:52):
counter, across a field, across any kind of
line.
One of the simplest yet most powerful gestures,

(12:12):
as I said, is a smile.
It breaks tension, dissolves barriers, and communicates kindness
universally, regardless of the language or the culture
that it's coming from.
I know waves are great, but some people
aren't comfortable waving.
A smile is very innocent, it's very simple,

(12:33):
and it's quick.
It doesn't last very long, and you know
what?
It costs absolutely nothing.
That's right, guys.
It costs absolutely nothing.
I think that's something that a lot of
people don't realize is that it does cost
nothing.
These are pretty cool things to understand.

(12:56):
Definitely cool things to understand.
Number 12, guys, kindness is the universal language
of connection.
That's true.
People can disagree on almost everything but kindness,
because it's always understood.
It cuts through cultural divides and unites people

(13:19):
in a way most things can't.
I remember being kind to a friend of
mine, somebody who was totally against kindness.
We were friends, and I was sharing kindness.
He's like, what the heck are you doing
that for?
It was like getting a smile or getting

(13:40):
a laugh.
He was like, that's just pointless.
I said to myself, I'm not going to
try to convince him, but that's sad that
somebody is stuck in that in prison mode
that they put themselves into.
No one else put them there.
They chose to put themselves there.

(14:05):
Your energy radiates, and the more positive you
are, the more positive things you will attract
in your life.
Very, very important.
Number 13, be the reason someone rediscovers hope.

(14:26):
You've heard the saying before, be the reason
for the season.
It's very similar.
People oftentimes around the holidays might be sad,
but if you could be that little spark
of hope, that can let them see there's
possibility.
People in the world do care.

(14:47):
Sometimes people are on the verge of completely
giving up.
A kind gesture might be what pulls them
back from despair and reminds them that goodness
still exists in the world.
I remember watching a video a few years
ago, and they keep replaying it, about this

(15:08):
kid who was working at Starbucks.
The customer he just had was really nasty
to him without getting all those details.
There was a person there.
It wasn't the manager, but it was just
another co-worker.

(15:29):
Pretty much the other co-worker was breaking
down underneath the counter, almost crying, really crying.
All he did was say, hey, man, he
was a jerk.
He should have never done that to you
or said that to you.
I'm here if you want me to listen.

(15:53):
That made that kid feel not only great
for the moment, but that somebody else cared
about him and was able to see that
negative situation because sometimes customers can be jerks.
They can be.

(16:14):
Why?
Because to them, it's all about power.
But little do they know, they don't really
have any power.
It's an illusion.
Number 14, guys, kindness amplifies when shared.

(16:34):
When you choose to amplify kindness, it makes
a huge, huge difference in your life and
other people's lives.
Unlike material possessions that may diminish as soon
as you've given them out, when divided, kindness
grows stronger the more it spreads.

(16:56):
Let me say that again.
Kindness grows stronger the more it spreads.
If you can start a movement like a
smile and somebody else can smile, maybe it's
at school, maybe it's at work.
That kindness really can make the day go
better and it can make people feel a
lot better about themselves and about the things

(17:17):
they're doing.
Every act, guys, spreads and expands and enriches
both the giver and the receiver.
Remember I talked to you about this before,
that there's this magic boomerang and whenever you
dish out to the universe, whether it's good
or whether it's bad, it's going to come

(17:38):
back to you like a boomerang.
A boomerang comes back very quick.
Now, when you dish out something, it may
not come back right away, but I promise
you it will come back to you.
If it's bad, it'll come back to you.
If it's good, it's going to come back
to you.
If it's good, it's going to come back
to you and you're going to be pleasantly
surprised.
If it's bad, you're going to be like,

(17:59):
oh, I know where this is coming from.
This is because of what I did last
week or something.
So just have a little bit of understanding
that kindness isn't just for the moment, it's
for the continuum of life.
Number 15, guys, storms will pass quicker with
a little kindness.

(18:21):
It could be a customer, it could be
some other situation, it can pass.
There was a wise person that once said,
you know, every night might have darkness, but
soon after, there will be light to overcome

(18:43):
it.
That was powerful when I heard that.
Every night may have darkness, but soon after,
there will be light that will overcome it.
That tells us that even though we're in
a dark situation at the moment, that situation
is momentarily there and it can change by

(19:06):
our perspective.
So storms pass quicker with a little kindness.
Life storms are inevitable, but kindness can ease
the journey.
Look at that kid at the Starbucks store,
right?
And then the fact that somebody else stepped
in to just say, hey, I'm here to
listen.

(19:28):
He didn't judge, he didn't question anything, he
just was there to listen.
And that made that feel, well, like a
person.
It made that person feel as if they
belonged.
And I think a lot of people want
that.
They want to feel loved and they want
to feel belonged and they don't want to
be ostracized, right?
That's a big thing.

(19:50):
Offering kindness during difficult times helps people weather
the challenges more gracefully and with less pain,
less discomfort.
So there could be lots of different situations,
right, that people go through.
And you could try to be that sunshine
for that person, but sometimes there's a situation

(20:14):
they're going through.
Maybe it's a loved one that passed away
and maybe you can't necessarily shed light on
that, but your presence can be hope for
them.
Your listening ear can be hope.
Don't judge them, don't give them advice unless
they ask for it.

(20:35):
Allow that to sink in because when it
does, the person is going to remember you
quite fondly.
And I think so many people in this
world, they only want to do this when
they know that they're going to get something.
And I think that's the wrong mentality, guys.
If we're always giving to get, we're always

(20:58):
looking for something.
That's not kindness.
I'm not saying you shouldn't get.
I'm just saying you can't look for every
give to be a get.
Number 16, guys, a kind act is a
seed for future courage.
When you perform an act of kindness, you

(21:19):
plant hope and bravery in someone's mind.
Look at that kid at Starbucks.
He had a day where he was just
ready to collapse.
So I tell people, be kind to someone.
You don't know what challenges they're going through.
You don't know what family crisis, what health

(21:39):
crisis, what financial crisis, what relationship crisis they're
going through.
You don't know any of that.
Be kind because you may just want someone
to be kind to you when you're in
a similar situation.
See, that seed may one day empower someone

(22:04):
to rise above fear like it did with
the kid at Starbucks.
He was ready to just shut down.
He was ready to just give up and
quit until a coworker tapped his shoulder and
said, I'm here to listen, to rise above
the fear and act with confidence.
That's what presence does, guys.

(22:27):
It doesn't cost anything to be kind.
What does it cost?
A few moments of your time.
Number 17, kindness costs you nothing, but it
means everything.
Now, it might not mean anything to you

(22:47):
at the moment, but it could be the
entire world to somebody.
Maybe you'll hold a door open for somebody,
and that was the greatest thing.
Maybe somebody is, I don't know, they're doing
something, and you're just listening to them.
Even if you don't want to spend a

(23:10):
lot of time listening, give them a few
moments.
Make them feel valued.
See, it doesn't require wealth, status, or resources
to be kind.
Of course, being wealthy and having more resources
can make you be more kind full, but
you can be kind whether you have a

(23:30):
billion dollars in your pocket, 50 billion in
your bank account, or a penny, or nothing.
It starts with the mindset.
Yet, the value of kindness to the receiver
can be limitless.
It could bring peace, confidence, or even save

(23:54):
a life.
Maybe you bring somebody a cup of coffee.
Maybe you wish somebody a good day.
Maybe there's a stranger on the street that's
homeless, and maybe you don't give them money,
but maybe you bring them a bag with
a sandwich and a soda in it, or

(24:15):
water in it.
I think these choices to empower others is
what we need to see more of in
our world.
Everyone's like, well, I don't have time to
do that because I'm busy.
I know you're busy, but can you take

(24:36):
just two minutes out of your day to
brighten somebody else's day?
That two minutes isn't going to lose your
billion dollars.
That two minutes isn't going to break your
relationships.
That two minutes is not going to get
in the way of anything else you need
to do for that day, but what you

(24:58):
will find is by investing that two minutes,
you're going to find that your day has
even more value to you because you're going
to get a boomerang back.
You're going to get this euphoric natural high
back from helping others.
Number 18, guys, kindness is a decision.

(25:19):
It's not an accident.
Being kind isn't about random chance.
It's a conscious decision that you choose to
make.
When you make kindness a deliberate choice, you
create intentional impact.
You create intentional impact.

(25:40):
It's not an accident.
Number 19, guys, choosing kindness is an act
of quiet rebellion in a good way.
In today's competitive, sometimes harsh world, kindness stands
out as a bold statement.

(26:00):
By choosing it consistently, you defy the negativity
and show that compassion is still revolutionary.
You might say, John, what am I going
to get by doing that?
Well, let's stop measuring it into dollars and
cents and let's realize that there's something far

(26:24):
greater you're going to get than the dollars
and cents that you're always measuring things on.
Those are good, but what I'm saying is
the energy that you're going to get could
change your life and could also change the
course of your success because now you're vibrating
at a different level.
I won't get in too deep on that,
but I think there's important things to understand.

(26:46):
Number 20, guys, kindness may not change the
world, but it can change someone's world.
I think if we can make a difference
in just one person's world, then we've created
a miracle.
It's easy to think small acts don't make

(27:06):
a global difference.
Really easy.
What can one person do?
What can I do?
But to the person who receives it, that
act could change everything for them.
You could be their world.
When you change one person's world, you become
part of changing the bigger picture too.

(27:28):
If today's episode resonated with you, and I
hope it did, I invite you to stay
connected with me and visit BelieveMeAchieved.com so
together we can empower the world to be
an even greater place to live.
Don't forget to check out more inspiring content
at the podcast channel as well.

(27:49):
I know you'll want to watch this episode
and others over and over again.
Remember, your choice to be kind might be
the best choice you've ever made, and it
will change the life of someone else.
Take care and be well, everyone.