Life Connected

Kindness Diaries: A Former Stockbroker's Search for a Meaningful Life

He gave up the 9 to 5 grind and set off on the adventure of a lifetime searching for kindness and connection in a troubled world

One man connected with the kindness of strangers and quit his 9 to 5 job. Angie Crouch reports for the NBC4 News at 11 on Sunday, March 11, 2018.

Have you ever dreamed of quitting your 9 to 5 job and traveling the world? Sounds amazing – and expensive.

Leon Logothetis did it for free by asking complete strangers to help him. The result? A Netflix show and a best selling book called "The Kindness Diaries."

Logothetis travels the globe on a vintage yellow motorbike he calls "Kindness One."

He chose this freewheeling lifestyle in 2005 after quitting his unfulfilling job as a stockbroker in London.

"On the outside I had everything … inside I had nothing. I was very depressed,"he said.

Logothetis gave up the 9 to 5 grind and set off on the adventure of a lifetime searching for kindness and connection in a troubled world.

"I wanted to live from my heart and connect to people and be able to say when I was 90 I fully embraced life." 

He travels without any money – and simply asks strangers for help with food, shelter and gas.

Logothetis was surprised and inspired by the kindness he received from strangers, especially people like Tony Holmes, a homeless man who gave him food and a bed in an old garage in Pittsburgh.

Each time somebody shows him kindness, Logothetis responds by returning the favor – helping the good Samaritans who help him along the way.

In return for Holmes’ kindness, Logothetis put the homeless man up in a house and enrolled him in a certificate program where he can make his way again in life.

"He protected me and fed me and gave me some clothes. He taught me a really life changing lesson … that kindness is free."

The former stockbroker now calls Los Angeles home, but his journey led him to write a book and create a documentary series on Netflix called "The Kindness Diaries." He uses his adventures to connect with students.

In a workshop with students at Fullerton’s Sunny Hills High School, Logothetis inspires teens to look for opportunities to reach out to others who might feel alone.

"Just by saying hi to people can make their day," student Brittany Zavala said.

Logothetis says he realizes not everyone can quit their job – but he hopes his journey teaches others the simple power of human connection.

"If the way to defeat feeling alone is to be kind - why not simply be kind?" he asked.

Logothetis is now traveling from Alaska to Argentina – once again relying on the kindness of strangers. His trip will be featured on the next season of "The Kindness Diaries" on Netflix in November.

Exit mobile version