Kindness can be a challenge. Sure, having good feelings about one another is easy enough, but real kindness—the sort that makes an impact, the sort that makes an effort—that sort of kindness takes hard work. That's why we were inspired to read the latest post by Amy Poehler’s Smart Girls about girls and women who are doing the hard work of kindness and making a real difference in their communities and around the world. Click through to read the whole article, and keep looking for ways to use your abilities in kind ways to help and empower those around you.

amysmartgirls.com - In this series, the Smart Girls team scours the internet in search of thought-provoking trailblazing women and girls who are leading by example. Today’s subject: the power of kindness.

Oftentimes, people are judged and celebrated based on their individual achievements alone. Today, we celebrate three women who inspire us to think outside ourselves and do good for those around us, whether at home, at work, or abroad.

Emily Duffy: Engineering for the Homeless

16-year-old Emily Duffy from Limerick, Ireland invented a lightweight, smart sleeping bag to improve quality of life for homeless individuals. Emily replaced traditional cloth materials with metallic bubble wrap, waterproof velcro, and a fireproof coating for increased visibility and warmth. The idea came to her while organizing a fundraiser for a homeless shelter. A year later, the Duffily Bag is being used on the streets of Dublin. Better yet, homeless individuals are paid 22 euros to build their own bags, giving them a respite from the street and an opportunity to take steps back into the workforce. You can read more about Emily and the Duffily Bag here. (via The Huffington Post)

Read the rest of the article here. Founded by artist Amy Poehler and producer Meredith Walker, Amy Poehler’s Smart Girls uses humor and education to celebrate intelligence and curiosity and to help young people "cultivate their authentic selves."