Today is Election Day in the US, and it can be pretty stressful and overwhelming. We don’t mention this to pressure you to vote (though we hope you do if you’re able), but to highlight that you’re probably not in the best mindset for kindness. Yet, these are the days when we need it most.

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I (Lacey) recently shared how, during our trip to Paris, a stranger offered me his seat on the metro. As a pregnant woman with chronic illness, I desperately needed it. He couldn’t have known the full extent of my situation (though my pregnancy was visible). He had no idea that his simple act of sitting down would change the course of my entire day. He couldn’t have imagined that over a week later, I’d still be sharing this story with hundreds of people in a newsletter.

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So today, whether you’re in line to vote, at the grocery store, getting gas, or sharing your opinions in a comment section—I ask you to remember this: You don’t know someone’s story or motivations, but your kindness can make a huge difference in their day or even their life. On stressful days like this, your kindness can have the biggest impact.

Reflect on a time when someone’s kindness made a big difference in your day. How did it impact you?

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Sara had an interaction with a stranger 20 years ago that has stayed with her. She was living away from home doing an internship, not enjoying her co-workers, where she was living, or really anything. At the grocery store, she was waiting in a long Sunday line with the rest of the town, letting her true emotions show in her face and posture. A stranger standing next to her said, “Hey, it’s not that bad.”

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It wasn’t so much what he said, but the kindness on his face, the tone in his voice, and the intention to connect with a stranger. That one moment was a ripple into her world. A moment of kindness from a stranger when she was lonely and away from home. It didn’t change her love of her living situation, but it did show her how so little can translate into so much.

Let us know yours! Comment on our Joy Prompts on social media, post yours and tag Joyful Support Movement, share it in the village, or just respond to this email.

The picture of the sister of the Statue of Liberty next to the Eiffel Tower felt right here. Not Shown – Joe and some random mans reflection in the window and all the wine Lacey could drink.

On the most recent episode of No Shame In the Home Game, we met participant Amy. Amy is taking the step of asking for help with navigating food, to make it as easy as possible for her lifestyle and neurodiversity.

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If you would like to take a step today towards meal planning freedom, check out 10 Steps to Meal Planning Freedom course. You can also submit your own question for Sara to answer on the podcast.