Why kindness matters

You've probably never heard of John M. Sweeney. Until a few weeks ago, I hadn't either. One of my fellow Fernandina Observer writers, Deryck Burnett, shared a TEDx Talk with me. I listened to John Sweeney's TEDx Talk. I laughed, and I cried and, most importantly, I was inspired by this amazing young man. (I also must admit that I'm a sucker for Irish accents, and John has a beautiful one!)

John begins by sharing that when he was in primary school, his teachers told him he was thick, stupid, and that he'd never amount to anything. Despite that cruel and insensitive feedback, John said he knew, even from an early age, that he always wanted to do something that improved another human being's life.

After a few years of searching, John founded a social movement called Suspended Coffees in 2013. As he tells it, it's based on an old tradition born in the working-class cafes in Naples, Italy, where you can buy a cup of coffee as a gesture of goodwill or a means of paying it forward. As of 2015, over 2,000 cafes in 34 different countries are participating in Suspended Coffees.

John shares the struggles he went through to make Suspended Coffees successful. With support from his followers and a few key people in his life, his dream became a reality. He talks about three core ingredients that, if incorporated into your life, are going to have a massive impact on everything you do: (1) inspire kindness; (2) share kindness; and (3) be kind to yourself.

John has since gone on to become a motivational speaker. He has helped to found Drop Dead Generous, a movement redefining what generosity looks like. According to the website, Drop Dead Generous is a global generosity experiment inviting people to express themselves through bold, creative acts of kindness. They give people $500 — no strings attached — and ask them to design an act of generosity that has meaning, character, and impact. They capture the stories, amplify the ripple effects, and show the world what happens when kindness is unleashed without permission, expectation, or limitation. As Co-Founder and Head of Community, John works closely with participants, creators, and partners to bring these stories to life and build a worldwide culture of generosity. 

Don't take my word for it! I invite you to listen to John M. Sweeney's TEDx Talk. I think you, too, will laugh, cry, and be inspired.

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If you have a story you'd like to share here in the Fernandina Observer - about a neighbor or friend or stranger or business that showed kindness, or about kindness and compassion in general - please contact Peggie Weeks at pegweeks@gmail.com