August is Kindness Month
- Cynthia Brian
- Aug 11
- 6 min read
MIRACLE MOMENT®
“Every act of kindness, gets the nod, opens the heart, dampens the fear, turns the page, ups the ante, tips the point, heightens the joy, changes the world, rows the boat, adds to the love, and, if you’ve been rather extraordinary lately, turns Thursdays into Fridays.” The Universe
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A MESSAGE from Founder/Director, CYNTHIA BRIAN
August is Kindness Month. We absolutely need more kindness, compassion, empathy, and grace in our world. In the face of dissonance, wars, polarization, and negativity, each of us can open our hearts and choose to treat others the way we would like to be treated. It is easy to be judgmental and believe that our own beliefs are the right ones. We are all humans in training. My parents gave me this advice when I was a child. “There are three sides to every story. Yours, mine, and the truth.”
I have attempted to live by this axiom. When I am told something that doesn’t exactly ring true to me, I ask the question that renowned author and speaker, Dottie Walters, shared with me more than two decades ago, “Tell me more?”
Being curious about why someone thinks, believes, or feels a certain way opens a window to conversation. Communication and caring are critical, while being kind and inquisitive may be the doors that unlock peace and collaboration.
To get inspired, tune in to our two radio broadcasts where current issues are discussed in a positive, upbeat, and supportive environment. Less stress, more relaxation, and relevant tips with encouragement for treating others with patience, understanding, and forgiveness is what we strive to achieve in these outreach programs.
Listen to StarStyle®-Be the STAR You Are!® shows: https://sites.libsyn.com/556617
Listen to all Express Yourself!™ Teen shows at https://sites.libsyn.com/560220.
Be the Star You Are!® teens will be participating in the Pear and Wine Festival on September 27th. This is a day of family fun in a beautiful park featuring music, art, food, and booths to satisfy every person. Come join Be the Star You Are!® to celebrate autumn! https://www.bethestaryouare.org/events-1/2025-pear-and-wine-festival
We will also be debuting a new children’s book this fall titled Flap Forwardy! Fly Free!,,the fourth book in the Stella Bella’s Barnyard Adventures series. The book encourages bravery and courage to do what’s frightening so that we can be free.
For many students, it is back-to-school in the next few weeks. I hope you’ve enjoyed a happy summer and look forward to a wonderful school year.
Appreciate others. Be respectful. Honor one another.
Stay safe and be kind.
Tell me more!
With gratitude,
Cynthia Brian
Founder/Executive Director
Be the Star You Are!®
PO Box 376
Moraga, California 94556
DONATE:
Givebutter at https://givebutter.com/BetheStarYouAre
BE KIND TO HUMANKIND WEEK
by Karen Kitchel
August 25-31 is a week-long opportunity to perform acts of kindness and compassion and to inspire others to do the same. In 1988, Lorraine Jara, a teacher and humanitarian, founded Be Kind to Humankind Week. Lorraine believed in the transformative power of kindness and wanted to create an opportunity for people everywhere to focus on acts of kindness and generosity.
Here are a few ways you can make a positive impact:
· Touch a Heart: Tell a family member or friend that you are glad to have them in your life.·
Practice Patience: Look for a car trying to merge and invite them in front of you. Slow down your pace so you can hold a door open for someone slowly approaching.·
Lend a Hand or an Ear: Offer to run an errand for a neighbor or take time to ask someone about their week, and really listen and compliment them on something they’ve done.·
Be Thoughtful: Leave a post-it-note on someone’s desk or door to wish them a beautiful day.·
Donate a Dollar or Two: Think about the causes you believe in, and do a quick online search to find a nonprofit that supports your cause. Hit the donate button!
Speak Kind Words
No one ever gets tired of hearing you say “I really appreciate you.”
Karen Kitchel is the Kindness Coordinator volunteer with BTSYA. She purchased the book, No Barnyard Bullies, as a gift for every kindergarten student where she is a volunteer teacher. www.scatteringkindness.com You can read more about Karen’s adoption story in the book Be the Star You Are! Millennials To Boomers. https://www.bethestaryouare.org/book-gift
MARK YOUR CALENDARS
2025 Pear and Wine Festival
The Moraga Pear and Wine Festival is a fabulous and fun day of music, food, art, crafts, contests, play, activities, and pear pies and drinks. Be the Star You Are!® is proud to have participated annually since the inception of this event. This year, we will have activities for kids including our popular Plant the Seeds of Literacy project, a reading circle, book giveaways, and book signings, plus more. It's going to be a super-fun event, so we hope to see you there. Thank you to our sponsors, The Lamorinda Weekly, MB Jessee Painting, and StarStyle® Productions, LLC. The event is FREE, and the festival is fabulous! Let's party!
Sep 27, 2025, 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Moraga, 1425 St Marys Rd, Moraga, CA 94556
Pear and Wine Festival: https://www.bethestaryouare.org/events-1/2025-pear-and-wine-festival
COMING SOON: NEW BOOK, FLAP FORWARD! FLY FREE!
Be the Star You Are!® is proud to announce the soon-to-be released children’s picture book, FLAP FORWARD! FLY FREE!. This is the fourth book in the Stella Bella’s Barnyard Adventure series, with all proceeds benefiting our literacy outreach projects. When animals are in trouble, who comes to their rescue? The barnyard buddies leap into action to help the frightened Father Gander. Through collaboration, cooperation, and courage, fear is faced with love and friendship.
Discount pre-sales will begin soon, and you’ll be able to find out more information at https://www.CynthiaBrian.com/books. If you are interested in getting an email about the presales, email info@BetheStarYouAre.org. Buy all books that benefit Be the Star You Are!® 501 c3 or a package of six for a donation.
OUR RADIO BROADCASTS INSPIRE AND COMMUNICATE
Every week under the auspices of Be the Star You Are!® charity and produced by StarStyle® Productions, LLC, listeners are encouraged and inspired on our two international radio broadcasts, StarStyle®-Be the Star You Are!® and Express Yourself!™ Teen Radio. StarStyle® is a lifestyle program bringing information and innovative ideas that will help with daily living while Express Yourself!™ is hosted by teens, for teens, with discussions about everything and anything that interests youth today. Both programs are unedited, uncensored, and unapologetically authentic.
Listen to all Express Yourself!™ Teen shows at https://sites.libsyn.com/560220
Listen to StarStyle®-Be the STAR You Are!® shows: https://sites.libsyn.com/556617
IS DEMOCRACY DYING?
“Democracies may die at the hands not of generals but of elected leaders—presidents or prime ministers who subvert the very process that brought them to power. “ - Steven Levitsky
Express Yourself host and Be the Star You Are!® volunteer Keerthi argues that democracy isn’t dying—it’s messy, flawed, and under pressure, but still alive and evolving. Using humor and history, it explores the warning signs (voter suppression, misinformation, polarization, apathy) while reminding listeners that crises aren’t new—democracy has always been dramatic. She points to hopeful trends like increased youth engagement, diverse leadership, and grassroots activism, and ends with a call to action: vote, get involved, talk across divides, and treat democracy as a living system that survives only if we show up for it.
Listen at the Voice America Network, Empowerment Channel: https://sites.libsyn.com/560220/is-democracy-dying
Keerthi has been a valuable BTSYA volunteer since 7th grade and has been awarded the Presidential Volunteer Service Award.
SELF-KINDNESS IS STILL KINDNESS
by Gowri Kamatchi Vijayakumar
“And now that you don’t have to be perfect, you can be good”John Steinbeck (East of Eden)
The Oxford dictionary defines kindness as the quality of being friendly, generous, and considerate, but I think it goes much deeper than that.
Kindness can come in many different forms. It can appear as a compliment to a waitress at your favorite diner that had pretty hair, or helping pick up someone’s papers when it was blown away by the wind. But the most important of all, self-kindness.
Self-kindness is often perceived as weak and unachievable. But I disagree. Self-kindness is a beautiful thing. Forgiving yourself and letting yourself go of burdens from the past will almost free you from the shackles that you have the key to. Not only does being kind to yourself have great mental health benefits, it builds resilience, encourages growth, strengthens relationships, and boosts self-worth.
So even if it starts as small as daily affirmations, or forgiving yourself for a silly mistake, it’s still a powerful step toward treating yourself like someone worth caring for.
My name is Gowri Kamatchi. I am a book reviewer and content creator volunteer with Be the Star You Are!®, and I am a 16-year-old junior. I am passionate about and have a deep interest in global issues, journalism, storytelling, and climate policies. My hobbies are reading, running, and rollerblading!
LOVE always wins. KINDNESS always prevails.
SMILES keep us happy.
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