Radical Kindness: The Life-Changing Power of Giving and Receiving

by Angela Santomero, Deepak Chopra (Foreword by)

Overview

The beloved creator of Blues Clues and Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood and protégé of Fred Rogers explores the importance of kindness and how it can change your life in this essential guide and tie-in to the PBS special, “The Power of Radical Kindness.”

Angela C. Santomero, the creator, executive producer, and head writer of many of today’s most popular educational children’s shows believes in the radical power of kindness, on her shows, and in her life. Inspired by her mentor Fred Rogers, beloved host of the classic, award-winning PBS show Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, Angela has dedicated her life to teaching others that when you treat yourself and others with warmth, empathy, and respect, life changing benefits follows.

From the true meaning of self-care and the gift of vulnerability, to the importance of active listening or the magic of asking for help, Radical Kindness goes beyond The Golden Rule and entreaties to “be nice,” contending that kindness is the key to recognizing others, and ourselves, as worthy of love and understanding.

Much like gratitude, Angela contends we need a kindness practice. A practice in which we learn to see with our hearts and act from a place of compassion. As the Dalai Lama says, “Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible.” Through practicing radical kindness—toward ourselves, with loved ones, and to the world at large—we can transform ourselves, our neighborhood, and our world for the better.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780062913364
Publisher:	HarperCollins
Publication date:	03/05/2019
Pages:	240
Sales rank:	443,765
Product dimensions:	5.30(w) x 7.50(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

ANGELA C. SANTOMERO is the co-creator, for the award-winning Blue’s Clues, and the creator of the smash hit Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood and Super Why!; Creative Galaxy and Wishenpoof; and Charlie’s Colorforms City. The chief creative officer of 9 Story Media Group, she is the recipient of a Peabody Award, two Television Critics Association Awards, and the 2018 World Screen’s Kids Trendsetter Award. She has been nominated for more than twenty-five Emmy Awards and numerous Parents’ Choice Gold and Silver Awards. Angela is the author of Preschool Clues and blogs on AngelasClues.com. She lives in New York with her husband, two daughters, and two puppies.

Deepak Chopra, MD is the author of more than eighty books translated into over forty-three languages, including numerous New York Times bestsellers in both fiction and nonfiction categories.

Table of Contents

Foreword Deepak Chopra xiii

Mister Rogers Saw Me: A Definition of Radical Kindness 1

I What Is Radical Kindness?

1 Heart-Seeing: The First Step Toward Radical Kindness 9

2 First See, Then Act: Radical Kindness Means Action, Not Reaction 23

II Be Kind To Yourself

3 Tune In to Glinda, Mute the Wicked Witch: Softening Your Inner Voice with Kindness 33

4 Heart-See Yourself: Radical Kindness to Oneself 41

5 Persona or Person? Finding Your Authentic Self 57

6 "Can You Help Me?" Receiving in Order to Give 67

III Be Kind To Others

7 Hit the Pause Button: Seeing Others with Your Heart 77

8 Kindness to Family and Friends: Heart-Seeing Your Inner Circle 87

9 Lean In: The Art of Active Listening 109

10 Beyond First Impressions: Seeing the Person Underneath 119

11 Assume the Best: Defusing Conflict with Kindness 127

IV Radical Kindness For A Better World

12 Speak the Common Language of Kindness: Heart-Seeing the "Other" 141

13 Kindness Without Credit: Anonymous Kindness for a More Giving World 157

14 Changing the World One Kindness at a Time 165

15 Thirty-Two Acts of Radical Kindness You Could Do Today 175

Acknowledgments 205

Editorial Reviews

“Angela Santomero tells the story of the transformative nature of radical kindness through studies, through unforgettable stories, though insightful observations and through suggestions for how to change. Reading this book is like having an inspiring conversation with a wise and forward-thinking friend!”  — Ellen Galinsky, Author, Mind in the Making: The Seven Essential Life Skills Every Child Needs  

“In Radical Kindness, Angela helps us make goodness an essential part of our lives, calling to mind Fred Rogers’ saying that “attitudes are caught, not taught,” and inspiring us to develop an attitude of kindness in everything that we do.” — Roberta Schomburg, PhD, Child Development Consultant at Fred Rogers Productions

“Kindness was at the center of everything my husband, Fred Rogers, did. Angela Santomero continues Fred’s legacy of bringing kindness into the world.” — Joanne Rogers

“Radical kindness is the most powerful thing that you can do for anyone at any given time. It costs you nothing and your spiritual reward is everything.” — Ludacris

“Radical Kindness and Angela Santomero are exactly what the world needs now. This wonderful book will teach you a simple practice that will improve both your life and the world. It’s a must-read for everyone.” — Strauss Zelnick, founder and CEO of Zelnick Media Capital; interim chairman of CBS

“Everyone should have Radical Kindness on their night table! It’s a fresh way to think about kindness to ourselves and kindness to others—it’s really a road map for living in today’s world.” — Jason Priestley, actor, director, father of two

“Fantastic reading! Angela’s work extends the impact of gratitude and the science of positive psychology.” — John Sharp, MD, professor of psychiatry at Harvard and UCLA, and author of The Insight Cure

“Kindness is always a gift. Whether we are giving it to others or to ourselves, it elevates both the giver and the receiver. In a world where anxiety, loneliness, and suffering are all too familiar, we always have the capacity to act with kindness. Angela brings the best of it to the page in Radical Kindness.” — Aviva Romm, MD, author of The Adrenal Thyroid Revolution; Naturally Healthy Babies and Children; and Natural Health After Birth

“What our society needs most is simple human kindness—which is really not ‘simple’ at all. It is bold. Adventurous. Radical. This book is a must-read.” — Dr. Michael B. Brown, minister, professor, motivational speaker, and author of Love Is the Way

From the Publisher

In Radical Kindness, Angela helps us make goodness an essential part of our lives, calling to mind Fred Rogers’ saying that “attitudes are caught, not taught,” and inspiring us to develop an attitude of kindness in everything that we do.

Roberta Schomburg

Everyone should have Radical Kindness on their night table! It’s a fresh way to think about kindness to ourselves and kindness to others—it’s really a road map for living in today’s world.

Jason Priestley

Radical Kindness and Angela Santomero are exactly what the world needs now. This wonderful book will teach you a simple practice that will improve both your life and the world. It’s a must-read for everyone.

Strauss Zelnick

Kindness was at the center of everything my husband, Fred Rogers, did. Angela Santomero continues Fred’s legacy of bringing kindness into the world.

Joanne Rogers

Angela Santomero tells the story of the transformative nature of radical kindness through studies, through unforgettable stories, though insightful observations and through suggestions for how to change. Reading this book is like having an inspiring conversation with a wise and forward-thinking friend!” 

Ellen Galinsky

Radical kindness is the most powerful thing that you can do for anyone at any given time. It costs you nothing and your spiritual reward is everything.

Ludacris

What our society needs most is simple human kindness—which is really not ‘simple’ at all. It is bold. Adventurous. Radical. This book is a must-read.

Dr. Michael B. Brown

Kindness is always a gift. Whether we are giving it to others or to ourselves, it elevates both the giver and the receiver. In a world where anxiety, loneliness, and suffering are all too familiar, we always have the capacity to act with kindness. Angela brings the best of it to the page in Radical Kindness.

Aviva Romm

Fantastic reading! Angela’s work extends the impact of gratitude and the science of positive psychology.

John Sharp

The creator and writer of popular children’s shows like “Blues Clues” and “Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood” believes that tiny acts of kindness make a big difference. Influenced by Fred Rogers’s unwavering kindness, Santomero provides an interesting overview of compassion and judgment—toward oneself and others. She presents listeners with simple, helpful techniques to implement during difficult situations. The author’s decision to narrate her own work is overwhelmingly distracting. Santomero seems to forget that her listeners are adults. She uses the slow, overenunciated, wide-eyed voice reserved for talking to very young children. It makes her advice sound trite, betraying her skills as a psychological researcher. Furthermore, her use of characters from THE WIZARD OF OZ and “Sesame Street” to illustrate emotions keeps the audiobook fatally anchored to the kid zone. J.T. © AudioFile 2019, Portland, Maine

JULY 2019 - AudioFile

The creator and writer of popular children’s shows like “Blues Clues” and “Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood” believes that tiny acts of kindness make a big difference. Influenced by Fred Rogers’s unwavering kindness, Santomero provides an interesting overview of compassion and judgment—toward oneself and others. She presents listeners with simple, helpful techniques to implement during difficult situations. The author’s decision to narrate her own work is overwhelmingly distracting. Santomero seems to forget that her listeners are adults. She uses the slow, overenunciated, wide-eyed voice reserved for talking to very young children. It makes her advice sound trite, betraying her skills as a psychological researcher. Furthermore, her use of characters from THE WIZARD OF OZ and “Sesame Street” to illustrate emotions keeps the audiobook fatally anchored to the kid zone. J.T. © AudioFile 2019, Portland, Maine

JULY 2019 - AudioFile