🌿 Sunday Reflection: Real Kindness vs. the Performance of It

2 Tropical Gals ♦ October 19, 2025 ♦ 1 Comment

Real kindness creates ripples that reach farther than we ever realize.

I want to start with a heartfelt thank you to those who reached out and offered kind words while my Nextdoor account was suspended. Your support reminded me how powerful genuine kindness really is — the kind that’s felt deeply and doesn’t need to announce itself.

That experience got me thinking about something I’ve noticed more and more lately: the difference between the kindness we talk about and the kindness we actually live.

Words vs. Actions

“Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart.”
— Proverbs 3:3

Real kindness isn’t about posting quotes or sprinkling positive phrases around. It isn’t about appearances at all.

True kindness shows up in how we treat people when things don’t go smoothly. It’s in how we speak when we disagree. And it’s in the willingness to pause, reflect, and make things right when we know we’ve missed the mark.

The Trap of Surface-Level Kindness

There’s another version of kindness out there that looks good on the surface but doesn’t run very deep.

It’s cheerful and polished, but often avoids honest conversations. It hides behind positivity instead of practicing it. And while it might seem harmless, that kind of surface-level kindness is usually more about image than intention.

This is what people mean when they talk about toxic positivity — when feel-good messages become a substitute for real accountability, connection, or growth.

“There’s no person in the whole world like you, and I like you just the way you are.”
— Fred Rogers

That kind of kindness — the real, accepting kind — doesn’t need a spotlight. It builds trust quietly.

Kindness That’s Lived, Not Performed

The truth is, kindness isn’t meant to be a performance. It’s meant to be lived.

Real kindness is steady and consistent. It listens. It learns. It shows up even when no one is watching. And most of all, it makes space for honest conversations, even the hard ones.

“People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”
— Maya Angelou

That’s the heart of it. Words may fade, but kindness that’s practiced leaves a lasting mark.

A Final Thank You

So again, thank you to those who showed me the real thing. Your kindness meant more than you know, and it reminded me that the quiet, genuine version of it will always matter more than the loud, performative one.

Leading with care, learning as I go, and believing we can do better.
— MeShawn