We live in a world that could use an infusion of kindness, but many of us have no idea how to kickstart the process. Fortunately, we don’t need to look too far to find a little inspiration. We all have the ability to make someone’s day. A simple act like helping out our neighbors, donating clothes, or holding down the elevator door will remind people that there’s still good in this world. Who knows? You might end up saving the day or becoming someone’s superhero.
Teach Someone
We all have skills that we take for granted. Maybe you could volunteer your time tutoring a high school or college student who’s flunking math class. If you know a second language, you can volunteer your time to teach someone for free. Once they get the hang of it, they’ll be able to carry on full conversations in a different language, and you would’ve earned a new friend. You could even teach a kid how to tie their shoes or ride a bike.
Donate A Gift
When you’re out shopping for everyone else’s gifts during the holidays, make sure to pick one or two items you can donate to a child in need. There are tons of places you can go to where you can drop off your gifts. Toys for Tots is a perfect example. And if that’s not accessible to you, you could just stop by an orphanage or a children’s hospital and drop the items there.
Carry A Gift Card Or Thank You Note
Buy or create a thank you card and carry it with you. Then, the next time you see someone doing something that’s truly heartwarming and selfless, give it to them so they’ll know that their kindness is appreciated. It may not seem like you’re doing something special, but you really are making a difference.
Make A Small Donation
Don’t assume that making a $10 or $15 donation won’t make a difference in the world. It can, especially if we all donated together. Every penny adds up! So, find a charity that is close to your heart and donate a small sum. You could end up changing the lives of an entire community or push an organization to do great things like saving the environment or curing cancer.
Leave A Nice Tip
Servers don’t often get paid a lot of money and it’s basically a thankless job. Sadly, most customers aren’t very kind to their waiters and waitresses and they don’t even leave tips. Which is unfortunate because servers rely on tips to survive. So, next time you’re at a restaurant do your server a solid and give them a big tip.
Visit A Lemonade Stand
If you happen to see a kid setting up a lemonade stand in their front yard, take a moment to stop and buy a drink. This will mean the world to them because they get to earn their money to buy something they want. You could end up stimulating the minds of the next generation’s entrepreneurs in the process.
Hold The Elevator
If you see someone running towards you when you’re in an elevator, don’t hit the close button repeatedly. Think about how you’d feel if you were in that situation. You’re not in that much of a hurry, are you? So, do something nice and hold the elevator doors open.
Be Kind To The Homeless
Next time you see a homeless person standing or sitting outside a restaurant, go inside, buy them something to eat, and ask them if they’d like to eat something. A hot cup of coffee would help tremendously during the winter, too. If you happen to have clothes you were planning on donating, consider offering them to the less fortunate.
Say Something Nice About Someone
If you’re at school or at work and you hear people bashing someone behind their backs, change the outcome of that conversation by saying something nice about the person being targeted. Positivity is infectious and if you inject the right dose into a conversation, you might be able to change the way people see someone they may or may not initially like.
Take Flowers To Nurses
Nurses do so much for doctors, patients, and their families. But they don’t always get as many thanks as they deserve. So, consider buying some flowers and taking it to the nurse’s station at your local hospital. They’ll appreciate the gesture. It might even help them get through a rough shift.
Help Your Mail Carrier Brave The Weather
Offer your mail carrier a glass of cold water during the scorching summer heat. It’s not easy delivering mail all day when it’s hot. But don’t forget that they could also use a warm cup of coffee or chocolate during the chilly winter. You can offer the same courtesy to your trash collectors and police officers. They’ll be forever grateful.
I am Camila – Serial tea drinker. Professional wig snatcher. Content creator and video script writer who may or may not be John Leguizamo’s body double. If you don’t like where you are, move. You’re not a tree.
