There are so many fantastic reasons to spread kindness to the people around you. Perhaps you want to make a stranger smile, help out a friend, brighten your own day, or inspire others to spread kindness as well. Whatever your reasoning, it’s always a good idea. Scroll down to explore some fun ways to spread kindness.
Ways to Spread Kindness
- Give someone a compliment. As you go about your day, look for things to appreciate in others. If you like your friend’s new hat, tell him so. If you hear a stranger humming beautifully, tell them they have a lovely voice. If your food is excellent, give your compliments to the chef. Everyone appreciates a genuine compliment.
- Volunteer in your community. What could you do to help other people in your community? Could you help sort donations at a local food bank? Could you knit quilts for newborn babies? Could you help take care of a public garden? Explore the possibilities in your area.
- Create a list of things that you adore about a friend. No one sees your friend exactly like you do. Tell them why you enjoy being their friend by making a list of all the things you love and admire about them. Believe me, your friend will be shocked and thrilled by this thoughtful gift.
- Let someone go ahead of you in line. If you’re in line at the supermarket and notice that the person behind you only has a couple of items, why not let them go ahead of you? This is also a lovely gesture if the person seems like they’re in a rush or they’re busy (a young mom, for example).
- Leave a good review for a local business. Especially in the past few years, many small businesses have been struggling. Support your local favorites by leaving them glowing reviews on Yelp, Google, or Facebook. The owners will undoubtedly be appreciative.
- Make a donation to a good cause. If you have the money to spare, this is a wonderful way to support your favorite charities.
- Leave a note for someone. You could do this for a stranger or someone you know well. For example, you could leave a note on someone’s windshield wishing them a good day or write a little message on a receipt after tipping your waiter. You could give a simple thank-you card to the hardworking nurse who always helps you at the doctor’s office, or stick a post-it in your friend’s purse. The possibilities are endless!
- Pick up litter at the park. Not only does this help the environment and the animals in the park, but also it may relieve the stress of park employees and volunteers.
- Smile and genuinely thank someone. This is a simple but underestimated way to spread kindness. It only takes a second, but it could brighten someone’s whole day.
- Leave a generous tip when eating out. Waiters and waitresses work so hard and are often underpaid for their efforts. So if you receive good service, tip well! At the end of their long, exhausting shift, your waiter or waitress will be thrilled by your generosity.
- Pay for the person behind you at a drive-through or coffee shop. This is a classic. When you pay for your own food/drink, simply tell the cashier that you’d also like to pay for the person behind you. Sometimes this starts a whole chain of generosity, where the person you treated will treat the next person in line, and so on.
- Send a letter to a friend. When’s the last time you wrote your buddy a letter? Or perhaps you’ve never written them a letter at all! We all get excited when we open the mail to see a letter from a friend instead of another bill or bank statement. It’s virtually free to do, and it’ll feel like a little gift for your friend.
- Tell an employer about their fantastic employee. If you receive above-and-beyond service, don’t just thank the person for their efforts. Consider taking it a step further by telling their boss or manager about them. This small action could help that person’s career prospects in the future!
- Practice self-care. Don’t forget to show yourself some kindness and compassion! Give yourself time to rest and relax. Perhaps you could take a walk in nature, try a meditation exercise, take a warm bath, or listen to music.
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They say that kindness is a gift everyone can afford to give. All you need is a little initiative and good intentions!
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