How the #Sowkind Movement Started

Three years ago, I told the world what had been brewing in my heart for many years. I had quietly pondered all the little clues and soul downloads I had been receiving, and it was finally time to share them out loud.

Show up.

See others.

Sowkind.

While I had a false start with the full name, I eventually [after an absurd amount of panic] settled on #sowkind. To sow is to scatter, and scattering kindness was EXACTLY the end goal of this little dream growing in my heart. It fit everything I hoped would be the end result of every endeavor and act of kindness.

With shaky knees, rapidly beating heart, and trembling hands, I launched the #Sowkind Movement into the world. With simple and intentional acts of kindness, the world could be different, and I wanted to be a part of making my community a brighter place.

Some of the earliest invitations of the movement were to tell a teacher how the interest they took in your life made an impact, call out the good qualities you see in a teenager, remind the widow how their tenacity is inspiring, and encourage the mother living at the hospital with her sick child.

The heart of #sowkind is all about showing up in the lives of people right around you. It is about pouring into perfect strangers. It is about meeting the needs of someone else with simple acts of kindness. It is about intentionally engaging in every moment of your life.

After one year of the movement, we gathered, swapped stories, and recommissioned ourselves to keep sowing.

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To celebrate the second year, we had to get creative. We were in the middle of a pandemic, so gathering was not an option. We put our heads together and invited people to nominate someone to receive a surprise in the mail. What a delight to read the nominations and put together a surprise we would all want to receive.

To celebrate this year, we are going to play bingo!

#Sowkind Bingo Rules of Engagement

This is how our #Sowkind Bingo will work. You can choose a square to complete on a community bingo board, or you can fill your own board. Our goal is to have at least twenty-five people select a square to fill the community bingo board.

Once you select a square, comment with your name and the square of your choice. We will place an X on each square as it is chosen. If two people select the same square, it is not a problem. The more acts of kindness the better.

After completing the activity in your square, post on your blog or social media using #sowkind and #sowkindmovement. Bonus if you are wearing a #sowkind shirt or if you include a photo of you completing your act of kindness.

If you are the competitive type, there is another option for you. You can fill your own bingo board or get a few friends together to fill one board. It is a game, so we do have a prize for the winner. Anyone who fills an entire bingo board [on their own or with a group], shares the completed bingo board on social media [using the hashtag and sharing your experience], and tags me [Alyssa] will be entered to win a #sowing kit donated by Amy Moreland. The kit will include goodies for future #sowkind adventures. It can make a great gift for someone you would like to invite to join the #sowkindmovement!

The #Sowkind Bingo challenge closes on March 31st, so there is plenty of time. We will be following the hashtag all month to see the wonderful things you are doing within your communities. Hint–you should follow the hashtag, too.

Ready to #Sow?

The game board is officially open, so let’s go! Leave your comment here to tell us which square you would like. It is time to show up and see others!

Happy sowing,

Alyssa ❤

PS-if you have specific questions, please email us at sowkindmovement@gmail.com.