Cassandra Baker is a single mum of two from Bromley and runs her own business, Baker Girl Beauty. She speaks on the importance of kindness during COVID-19 and the struggles of being a single mother.
Before the lockdown, I ran a successful business called Baker Girl Beauty. This incorporated a beauty salon and training academy.
I have always believed in the power of kindness to affect not only ourselves but everybody around us positively. I have affirmation cards specially made for all my customers.
My regular clients love me reading a positive affirmation at the end of their treatments and always leave with a big smile on their faces. I love owning my own business in the beauty industry and making people happy.
Lockdown and its challenges
The lockdown caused by the coronavirus pandemic has been a challenge beyond just the financial aspect. I love interacting with people and inspiring them to believe in themselves more, and this has obviously been restricted.
As a single mother, having more time with my children has been wonderful, but I knew it was important for both them and me to have some purpose and structure to our lives. My daughter Saffron and I both have ADHD, and we know how vital it is for our minds to keep occupied with a positive focus.
Sending cards of kindness
So, we started sending out cards with positive messages to anyone we felt could benefit from a kind word; friends, neighbours and relatives. Advice for the future, reminding people of how great they really are, anything that will make the receiver smile and bring a bit of happiness to their day.
We don't want people to feel isolated. Even though we have to socially distance ourselves, we can still take the opportunity to be closer than ever.
Watching kindness grow
We started out sending one or two care packages, but we've had such a positive response that we've practically turned the living room into a card-making factory.
Saffron has had an astonishing focus. My 8-year-old made over twenty cards herself in one day, all with pictures of unicorns and affirming messages of love and support. She is doing it not because she is being told to but because it genuinely makes her happy to bring a bit of sunshine into other people’s lives.
People have been so genuinely appreciative of their packages that it has made me up the ante and deliver more and more. When you are being told how much difference a card or a sticker makes to someone, it inspires you to try to help others too.
Becoming kinder collectively
A kind act is like throwing a pebble in the water; the ripples spread, and kindness inspires others to be kind. Kindness has a reproduction rate of its own. The more we do individually, the kinder we become collectively, and helping each other becomes the norm, not just a few random acts of charity.
I look forward to opening up my beauty salon again, but until then, I will keep sending care packages, cards, stickers and any other ways to bring a smile to people's faces. My children may miss school, but they are learning valuable life lessons.
Helping others makes the world a kinder place
Helping others around us genuinely makes the world a better place. I am so proud of my children for the effort and creativity they are showing every day to support people who need that bit of human interaction more than ever right now.
So, on that note, I would like to leave you with one of my most uplifting quotes:
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