I have a story to share today.
One that might shift your frequency.
The first day the COVID lockdown was finally lifted, I rushed to a little café with a friend. Just the joy of being able to eat out again felt like a celebration.
We had to wait 20 minutes to get in. The place was packed. People stood outside, smiling behind their masks, desperate for a taste of normal life.
Do you remember that time?
The world was still a little raw. A little awkward. But something inside all of us just wanted connection again.
Now here’s where it gets… interesting.
The service?
Well, let’s just say the universe was testing us.
First came the coffee.
And it was served at room temperature.
Now, in Northern Europe, “room temperature” means achingly cold.
I flagged the waitress—kindly—and asked if I could get a fresh, hot one.
She nodded. And then vanished into the void. No second cup.
Then the food came.
I had ordered an omelet with a side of guacamole.
Now, if you know me, you know this part already:
Guacamole is sacred.
It is the nectar of the gods. The green gold of civilization.
So when my plate arrived—without the guacamole—part of me broke inside.
I was low-key triggered.
Meanwhile, my friend across the table was getting increasingly annoyed. The cold coffee. The missing guac. The delay. The forgotten request. The waitress barely looked up from her notepad.
“This is ridiculous,” she muttered.
But here’s the thing—I wasn’t mad.
Because earlier that morning, I had done my 6 Phase Meditation, and Phase 1—Compassion—had already shifted something in me.
I took a breath. And I looked at the waitress—really looked at her.
That waitress had probably been jobless for three months.
We were all locked down. Restaurants were shut.
And like the rest of us, she was probably feeling painfully alone.
But unlike us, she may have had the added weight of worry:
Where’s the next paycheck coming from?
How will I take care of the kids?
What if the café closes again next week?
Now she’s back on the job, wearing a mask over her nose and mouth for 10 straight hours in an overcrowded café.
And from the corner of her eye, she can see a line of 20 more customers outside, waiting to be seated.
She’s probably doing her best to keep up with a tidal wave of requests, all while quietly holding this terrifying truth in the back of her mind:
“This could all disappear again.”
So yeah. From that perspective?
She was doing a hell of a job.
What if she hadn’t worked in three months?
What if she was terrified of losing her job again?
What if she was carrying the weight of bills, kids, or long-haul COVID… and still showed up?
So when the bill came, I tipped her 20 euros on a 40-euro meal.
My friend nearly choked.
“Are you serious? She messed up everything.”
I just smiled and said, “Yeah. But she’s still standing. And I respect that.”
We walked out of that café a little more caffeinated… and a lot more compassionate.
Now here’s where it gets interesting
I kept thinking about it.
Not the guac. Okay, maybe the guac.
But mostly—the power of that one choice.
The choice to see differently. To act differently.
And then a bigger thought hit me:
Why do we do this so rarely, when this is exactly what all our sacred texts ask of us?
What would Jesus do?
If Jesus were in that café, He wouldn’t be muttering under His breath.
He wouldn’t be demanding a free meal.
He’d smile. Tip. Maybe even bless her on the way out.
If you’re Muslim, maybe you’d reflect on the principle of Zakat.
To give without expectation.
To see others through the eyes of mercy, not merit.
But maybe religion isn’t your thing. That’s cool. You still need a compass, right?
So here’s one I love—equal parts spiritual and cinematic legend:
WWKD—What Would Keanu Do?
Yes. That Keanu.
Whether it was his role as Neo in The Matrix, the deadly but noble John Wick, or the ever-optimistic Ted in Bill & Ted’s Excellent Adventure—Keanu Reeves is considered one of the nicest humans on Earth.
And it’s not just fan hype.
It’s the way he lives.
This is a man who…
- Lost the love of his life in a tragic car accident.
- Lost his child before she was born.
- Lost his best friend, River Phoenix, to an overdose.
He’s known loss. He’s known grief.
And maybe that’s why he walks through life with more humility.
More softness.
More presence.
You’ve heard the stories:
- He quietly donates millions to children’s hospitals.
- He buys meals for homeless strangers—no cameras, no PR.
- He gave away most of his Matrix salary to the crew and special effects team.
- He bought Rolex watches for his John Wick 4 stunt team—engraved, personalized.
- He gives up his subway seat without blinking.
- He takes time for every fan, every photo, every hug.
- He mourns privately and deeply… and still shows up with gentleness in his eyes.
So when the world throws you a test—
An annoying waiter.
A rude email.
A delayed flight.
A missing guacamole incident…
You don’t have to fight back.
You can ask:
What Would Keanu Do?
But what if you can’t afford to tip big?
That’s okay too.
Because giving has nothing to do with money.
It has to do with frequency.
One of our Mindvalley teachers, MBA professor Srikumar Rao (author of The Quest for Personal Mastery on Mindvalley), once shared something I’ll never forget.
We were having coffee one afternoon, and he said:
“If a server has an attitude problem or seems cold, I don’t get upset. I play a little game.
I ask myself: Can I put a smile on their face?
Maybe they’re struggling. Maybe they’ve had a hard day.
So I’ll compliment them. Crack a joke. Share warmth.
The goal is simple—just create a smile.”
If you can’t give a tip, give a smile.
Because here’s the truth about giving:
What you give… you receive.
Not in a cosmic law of attraction kind of way.
But in a how you show up kind of way.
And it has nothing to do with how much money you have.
Neale Donald Walsch, speaking at Mindvalley once, said something profound about attracting money by stepping into the energy of abundance.
“You want to be abundant. Here’s my advice.
Even if you only have $5 to your name, break it into singles.
And give $1, just $1, to someone homeless.
That is the energy of abundance.
And when you step into that energy—with just $5 to your name—you begin to attract more.”
Shift. The. Frequency.
I remind myself of this often.
I wear a small cross—not because of religion, but to anchor myself in the energy of Christ.
To remind myself to be softer. Kinder. More compassionate.
Maybe you don’t wear a cross.
Maybe you wear a pin from your favorite Keanu movie—John Wick, The Matrix, Bill & Ted.
Whatever it is… let it ground you.
Let it whisper to you in those tiny, pivotal moments:
WWKD?
What Would Keanu Do?
P.S. What Would Keanu Do? is the mindset exercise I’ll be sharing at orientation at Mindvalley U this summer in Amsterdam.
In fact, I often teach this to our community when we descend on a city—be it Tallinn or Amsterdam—for Mindvalley events.
During the weeks of powerful talks, workshops, and community experiences, I remind our members:
Your job is not just to grow yourself—but to light up the lives of everyone you meet.
From waiters to Uber and Bolt drivers to street cleaners…
Bring some joy to their lives.
And the results?
Phenomenal.
To this day, when I walk through Tallinn, people still say to me,
“I love the people who come to your event. They’re so kind. So respectful. I love serving them.”
And that’s the ripple of conscious community.
That’s how being part of something like Mindvalley rewires you.
You start living outside the default settings of society.
You start tipping… even when the service is bad.
Because you don’t know what’s going on in that waitress’s life.
And when you make that small choice?
You don’t just elevate her day.
You elevate yourself.
And sometimes, that’s how we change the world—one tip, one smile, one moment of grace at a time.
So now it’s your turn
Do you have a story of a time when you chose kindness, especially when the world wouldn’t have expected it?
Share it in the comments.
And tell me what this letter stirred in you.
Note: Mindvalley U, Amsterdam, happens Aug 4 to 18—learn more here. Maybe I’ll see you there. The response has been phenomenal, with ticket sales up 60% from 2024.
Shift. The. Frequency.
Vishen
84 Responses
Thank you for all your sharings, I love Mind valley, it’s been a 360 degree rotation in my life since I discovered Mind Valley. I assume who I am today, my kindness, wich used to appear to be a kind of weakness to others around me before. But now, I assume who I am in my heart. Recently, a woman waiting in front of me at the supermarket, she seemed to be serious maybe anxious or a little angry, she was tough in her speeking to the waitress. But I really liked her skirt, so I decided to tell her, with kindness and a big smile “Excuse me Madame, I just want to tell you I love your skirt and it really fits to you.” Suddenly, changing her face : a big smile. “Oh thank you so much! you know it’s not an expensive one and it would probably fit to you too!” “OK, thank you and Have a nice day!” I said. A nice moment, turns my own life even more joyfull, and I think hers too. Sometimes, the biggest impacts are in the smallest things… I love this life and I would like every one on this earth to love their lives too!!
These few days have been tough. Your words elevated me and brought me tears. I’ve let my experiences rub away the compassion and kindness I used to once have for the world, and that makes me so sad. This blog has reminded me of who I can become again. Thank you.
Vishen, I can’t tell you how much reading WWKD tonight meant to me! Not only am I truly inspired but I also feel so blessed that we can shift to, compassion, for example.
Always love what you bring to light.
This resonated so deeply with me. And it was just yesterday that I was on Keith Ferrazzi’s quest, and he spoke about generosity. And right after reading your post, I had to get on a call with a client – someone I felt I had no connection with. I applied all that I got from this post and the quest – and whoa! – now I have not just a client but a friend. Thank you!
Thanks for sharing this message. A lot of us have forgotten the power of kindness which can have a huge ripple effect and cause big change for the good.
When I was 22, I met with an accident just when I had graduated and was moving to a different city with no more than $30 in my pocket. Out of nowhere several angels showed up and helped me through one of the most difficult times of my life. I am forever grateful to them. Some have passed but they showed me true kindness and taught me to pay it forward. 13 surgeries and several years later, I am still standing.
Whenever, I have the chance I try to help someone and it makes me feel even more grateful to be able to do so.
Kindness is more needed now than ever. Loved your message. Keep them coming.
I loved reading this. I experienced a similar shift towards the end of the pandemic, experiencing the L.A. fires and all the sadness and stress we are feeling now. I began to give extra generous tips to waiters and waitresses, to the shock of some of my friends. I was really struck by how happy and grateful people were for being recognized and appreciated. Something so easy for me to do. Why not? And smiling at strangers, shifting someone’s energy too. These practices are expanding into other areas too.
I didn’t know who I was reading until the end of the article – Vishen! I have recently discovered his work and appreciate it so much. Going to look into the Amsterdam event.
I like the efforts you have put in this, regards for all the great content.
Love!!! That in elevating others, you elevate yourself! through the guiding principle that “Your job is not just to grow yourself, but to light up the lives of everyone you meet”.
And when it is not about me, I have the presence to show up better!
Also, I’ve noticed – I’m enjoying these newsletters lately and experiencing the power of storytelling
Thank You!
Love love love love love this! I talk to angels every day for a living and I love because it is my nature to do so. It feels better. It keeps me aligned with my true self, and my life works. I’ve returned “beauty for ashes” so many times I can’t count. One that stands out is when a reader wrote to bash me for charging $5 for a 30 min program because he thought I should give away everything. I wrote kindly letting him know that I spent $11K to film my 84 episodes and did it for love, but that i felt a small fee to keep the energy in exchange was appropriate even for those who couldn’t afford a thing. I then proceeded to share the info with him for free. He wrote back calling himself names – a child, an @*#, etc and I wrote back to say. “no harm done.” He learned a lot from my loving response, wheras any other response would have cemented him in his own anger and victimization.
This brought tears to my eyes. Thank you for being a catalyst for change. For uplifting energy for talking about Jesus and for wearing a cross. For reminding us that we have to have a greater purpose.
I saw you a long time ago in New Orleans at an event. I read your book the code of the extraordinary mind. You are extra ordinary. Thank you for lighting up the world and for changing it for the better one interaction at a time.
“What Would Keanu Do?” — A Letter from a Fantastic Future
We had just returned from a Mindvalley retreat, eyes still sparkling with breakthroughs, our wrists still glowing from the event bracelets…
When the news came:
Vishen is no longer here.
Not gone forever.
Just…
Retired on an island where mangoes grow in the shape of hearts and he meditates eight hours a day with dolphins.
What did we do?
Did we roll on the floor? Did our chakras collapse in protest?
No.
We simply asked:
“What would Vishen do?”
Or better yet…
“What would Keanu do?”
And we remembered:
Kindness. Always kindness.
So we chose:
– To carry his wisdom forward
– To step on our own stages, in our own communities
– To give more, listen more, smile more
– To be that weird one who offers guacamole… even when no one asked for it
Vishen planted the seed.
We are the forest.
P.S. This is an abstract text and it might be treated with.. « kindness » and a smile on your lips..😜
P.P.S I promise ( and I never lie) I had a similar experience in Casa Nobile Lyon, I tipped the guy 20Euros and still laugh about that birthday.
Restiamo nobili.
We loved the post and fully resonated with the energy of gratitude and appreciation!!
We were recently in Cancun for a Dr. Joe Dispenza retreat and were helped by the head Bellman. We smiled at him and engaged with compassion as there was a big backup at the hotel registration and people were somewhat impatient. He saw that we needed help as my wife has mobility issues and apparently they were all out of wheelchairs. His kindness was an immediate blessing to usas we surrounded him with the energy of love. He took our passports and went to the head of the long line of registrations and returned soon. He asked us to follow him a short distance to another registration desk where there was no line and told us that he had secured an appropriate room on the main level not far away.
We blessed him and tipped him well. He again apologized that there was no wheelchair available. My wife and I knew there would be one. Just then she looked over to the Bell desk and saw a woman returning a wheelchair saying that she would no longer need it. Out of nowhere it appeared!! She smiled at him and said “What about that one??”
He was gracious beyond measure throughout our stay and we gave him a larger tip as we left the retreat. The whole encounter was one of joy and gratitude. We hope to see him again.
Thanks for sharing your wisdom in an easy understandable way
I touches me deeply, I agree, and feel that it is my true way of behaving, you describe.
I very well understand the described effect and considerations about giving to others.
At the same time I feel alone / lonely in following this true way. I cannot fully (and in few words) explain why.
Part of it may be; Like you describe, your friends didn’t get your way of tipping the waitress.
So a part of the “mission” is to inspire others to do the same, and reduce the mental barriers inside us, which hold us back from doing it.
And yes – that’s what you are doing in your writing ☺
Please, please refund my money. I am well within the 15-day limits. I have started asking for a refund one June 19, 2025 and still no results. I tried calling the phone; it’s no longer in service. I have sent an email; no response. Please refund my $299.00; I don’t not want to continue this. I watched the Masterclass and thought it might be something helpful. I have since changed my mind as you promised everyone they could do with no questions asked. I DO NOT WANT THUS; I WANT A REFUND. Thank you.
We’re sorry to hear about your experience and the issues you are having getting that resolved. Please reach out to support@mindvalley.com and ask for this to be passed to Tom, our Head of Customer Experience, who will look out for it.
Pretty! This has been a really wonderful post. Many thanks for providing these details.
Me encantan los correos que me llegan, me hacen reflexionar mucho y me levantan cuando mi ánimo está un tanto bajo… en este momento tengo una situación complicada y leer este mensaje me ha dejado una gran lección, agradezco infinitamente el que se tomen el tiempo de compartir esto, que en definitivo es mucho muy valioso.
A veces me concentro más en lo que no tengo y necesito, que en lo que la vida y Dios me han regalado y es bastante, por cierto.
He desaprovechado muchos momentos de mi vida, frustrándome porque las cosas no salen como quiero, pero me estoy dando cuenta que ese ser supremo tiene lecciones interesantes para mí, y debo estar más pendiente y presente, para alinearme con todo lo que es bueno para mí…
Gracias de nuevo por tan hermosos y nutritivos mensajes
¡Saludos a todos y un abrazo fuerte a toda la Comunidad!
I really like this post. And it shifted my attention to a request I put forward a couple of days back on one of your media email (because I couldn’t find any other email). But I habe not received no reply so far. As this post is all about giving and shifting the frequency/abundance, also, the comments are being reviewed for the sake of safe community building I thought to forward my suggestion again: I would appreciate if Mindvalley give annual membership scholarship/financial assistance to students and educators internationally. Because modern academics don’t focus on human potential/ spiritual development. So students will be better prepared for their future with courses from Mindvalley. And educators are one of the most important persons who help to spread that message further to build strong and healthy communities.
And mental /spiritual health is a luxury in under developed countries. So by providing few annual membership scholarships to needy would also help to further the cause of Mindvalley.
While reviewing my comment, please forward my request to the right person who can consider the request. And you may not add my comment on the website. However, I would appreciate it if I receive a reply regarding my request.
The message is simply about kindness
And kindness is the cure
Let’s all be kinder to ourselves ,each other , Mother Earth and all animals plants and ALL LIFE . Let’s understand
Trees, forests , animals other humans they need our KInDNESS lets not forget to show love to All liFE
Today I went grocery shopping and when I was queuing, a young man came to me and asked that I pay for his meanie meal, sugar and cooking oil. It was odd that he was already inside the shops but then I thought that’s none of my business and asked him to put his stuff before mine so he could leave after they were scanned. At the time, David Ghiyam rang in my ears, about expanding your vessel and just thought oh, what a gift (that I was able to do this).
So now, WWKD. Thank you Vishen, I will keep that in mind.
Love this. And love David Ghiyam
Thanks SO much for this post, Vishen. Sometimes we need reminders to stop, and think about what others might be going through. Thanks for this reminder. Also, thanks for your weekly insights. Very much appreciated.