How wild it was, to let it be.

A couple of weeks ago, my mom and my sister and I went to see Cheryl Strayed speak. Cheryl Strayed is a writer and the author of Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail, which is about her experience hiking the PCT. I loved Wild when I read it, but after I heard Cheryl speak, I discovered I relate to her even more than I had previously realized.

Cheryl decided to hike the PCT a couple of years after her mother died. In those years between when her mother passed and when she hiked the PCT, Cheryl's life kind of spiraled out of control. She cheated on her husband, used drugs, and just lived a life she wasn't happy with. As Cheryl put it in her talk, she had decided to continue her life after her mother died in a way that would best honor her. She had decided not to thrive because she couldn't bear the thought of living without her.

Cheryl's absolute love for her mother in as portrayed in Wild is something that I so deeply connected to when I read the book. Simply put: I absolutely love my mother and can't imagine how I would go on without her. Without her mother, Cheryl is simply broken, and I would be the same way if I were to lose my mother.

Be a little kinder than you have to.

Happy September 1! The beginning of a new month means lot of things. First of all, the first of September means the Hogwarts Express leaves today! Yay for another year at Hogwarts. But the start of a new month always means new beginnings and a fresh start. I can't think of a better way to start fresh than to be kind. And kindness is so easy! It's probably one of the easiest things in the whole world because kindness is free. To prove that to you, I've compiled a list of random acts of kindness that don't cost a thing. I dare you to try one out today!

Just help. Make an impact. Show someone you care. Say yes instead of no. Say something nice. Smile. Make eye contact. Hug. Kiss. Get naked.

Ellen DeGeneres is arguably one of the best human beings on the planet. She's kind, she's funny, and she likes to dance. What else do you need?

Ellen has been a huge influence when it comes to my passion for kindness and generosity. Heck, even her last name says that she's "generes." Whenever I turn on her show, I just get so happy and feel so inspired by all she does for people.

I can't imagine how much money Ellen has given away -- or spent on things to give away -- over the years on her show. It's amazing that she uses her show and her platform to make such tangible change in people's lives. I know other celebrities give to charities and volunteer and even have their own charities, but I love that Ellen also promotes kindness and generosity through her show and just the way she is as a person. It's important to do good things for other people, especially when you have the resources to do so, but it's also important to set an example and encourage others to be kind and generous.