The Definition of Happiness – spread love with random acts of kindness

Make someone else feel good by doing something small for one another

In 2013 Yolanda Wiel, who works as an art therapist, initiated an activity for children during the summer holiday. She wanted to show children that they can make someone else feel good by doing something small for one another. Together with a group of kids Yolanda made notes with a happy and inspiring message which they handed out at the parking lot of a supermarket. The kids who participated really liked the activity and were very eager to ‘spread the love’, within a short period of time they ran out of notes.

Spread the love

Yolanda felt she should spread more love and decided to start ‘Spread the Love Curaçao’. This time not only for children but also for adults. She feels that people on the island should show more kindness towards each other. Even if it’s just something small like giving someone a glass of water. Her ultimate goal is to spread the love on every continent. The theory behind her movement is that a positive and kind mindset makes those parts of your brain involved in positive thinking develop even more. In other words: random acts of kindsness will not only spread love and happiness but will make you feel happier as well.

Last Saturday, with a group of around 15 ‘love spreaders’, the movement gave free hugs and handed out kind notes at the ‘swinging old lady’ bridge downtown. This was their third time organizing the event ‘spread the love’. They simply created a group on Facebook and gathered in the city center.

“It makes you happy to make someone else happy”

Caroline Castendijk, a local photographer, felt she should help Yolanda ‘spread the love’. Before she came in contact with the ‘spread the love’ movement, she participated in a event called ‘brasa por nada’ (which means free hugs). Caroline noticed that giving hugs to people gives her a lot of energy: ”it makes you happy to make someone else happy”. During their most recent activity some people at first reacted suspicious, others simply ignored them but in general people reacted with a smile. Some children even wanted more than one hug and asked all of the ‘love spreaders’ for some love.

Soon there will be another ‘Spread the love’ event which will be announced on Facebook. If you’re curious about the definition of happiness of these two inspiring and positive ladies, stay tuned, they will be in the documentary.

By: Vincent Mercera & Fleur Terpstra