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Have you ever felt like you were too much or not enough? Are you struggling to have difficult conversations with people with opposing views? How do you define kindness? What does kindness look like in difficult conversations?

Ashlee Eiland and I have a deep conversation about her journey in accepting her identity and promoting kindness in our communities. Ashlee is a wife, mother, coach, and teacher of the gospel who wants to equip people to build bridges back to each other and back to God.

One of the ways Ashlee believes we can do this is through kindness. In her upcoming book, Human (kind), Ashlee frames her view of kindness through her experiences in childhood and adulthood. The importance of kindness is a focus of her story as a black woman navigating white and black spaces and struggling with identity in feeling not enough in some spaces and too much in others. Ashlee’s goal is to help all people to get close to one another and be kind even as they navigate difficult conversations.

We can look at our world today, and find people on all media channels being mean and making hateful comments to each other. “Being kind” has become overrated yet needed more than ever. But choosing kindness is not easy and requires us to get “proximate” to people. Proximate, meaning eye-to-eye, which may involve us putting down our devices and laying down our judgment. Embracing kindness involves our willingness to have hard conversations by asking questions and listening to the other person’s story.

Now more than ever before, we need to be kind to ourselves and to each other. We must learn the art of engaging with people that have experiences and ideas different than our own. Then we must allow kindness to help us know and accept who God has created us to be. Ashlee Eiland both in our conversation and through her book, Human (kind), teaches us that through our own story we can pursue kindness with each other.

Highlights from Today’s Episode:

  • Ashlee’s Eiland new book “Human (kind)”
  • Why kindness matters in our communities and church
  • How to get proximate to people
  • Having kind conversations around difference
  • Finding and creating meaningful relationships
  • Adapting to new spaces and environments

Resources from today’s show 

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Let’s Talk!

After you’ve listened to the podcast, I’d love to continue the conversation. Be sure and leave a comment!

  1. How can you be intentional about establishing meaningful relationships?
  2. In what areas of your life are you still searching for belonging?
  3. What has kindness looked like for you?
  4. What are ways that you can engage with people and communities different from your own?
  5. In reflecting on your own story, how have your experiences shaped how you view the world?

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How to Listen to The Podcast

If you’re new to podcasts, think of them like little radio shows that you can listen to at your convenience. They are perfect to listen to and learn from as you workout, fold laundry, wash dishes or conquer the world.

1. Listen right here on the blog. Click the little play button at the beginning of this post.

2. Listen on iTunes or Stitcher or Google Play! – Be sure and subscribe so you don’t miss an episode! Also, if you would be so kind as to leave a rating on iTunes and/or write a 2-3 sentence review there or on Stitcher?  Your commentary or rating helps make the podcast more “findable” by others who might not know it exists!

3. Share today’s show –   Email the link to a friend or share on social media. Just click on the sharing buttons at the bottom of this post!

You have been so great to join me on the journey here on the blog, I hope you jump right in and do the same on the podcast!