Here at Good News Network, World Kindness Day is one of our favorite days of the year. It’s an occasion where everyone can go out of their way to show compassion to friends, family – even strangers.
That’s why we compiled a list of ideas for you to try on World Kindness Day to spread a little joy.
1. Bring in a Treat to Local Firefighters or Senior Homes
Community makes the world go round, and it doesn’t matter how old you are. Whether you’re a 103-year-old woman volunteering to serve coffee or a companionable young person just hanging out, old folks homes are a prime target if you are looking to do a good deed. Local firehouses are also a great place. Just bring in flowers or bran muffins to make everyone feel good.
2. Giving Out Hugs
Who doesn’t love a good hug? You can devote your day to hugging strangers, or look to your friends and family to see who may need one. Either way, it’s a warm gesture that can brighten someone’s day, including yours.
3. Pay Attention To Less Appreciated Spaces
There are plenty of little ways to brighten up your community. Maybe you can tidy up that trash on your walk to work; or perhaps pull some weeds at the park or elderly neighbor’s yard; or you can give a little love to your local cemetery.
4. Take Care Of Someone Sick
There’s nothing like a warm bowl of soup when you’re suffering from a cold. See if your coworker with the bad cough could use some hot tea with honey, or just leave someone a ‘Get Well Soon’ note.
5. Use Your Skills To Help Someone Else
Are you a nanny? Give a struggling family an hour or two of free babysitting. Are you a landscaper? Try doing a bit of work for your neighbor. Are you a dentist? Maybe you can help with someone’s smile. Whatever your craft may be, there’s always someone out there in need of an expert.
6. Sit With Someone Who’s Lonely
No one likes being lonely, so take a seat with someone who is dining alone at a restaurant. Head over to a nursing home and have a chat with the elders, or head over to your local animal shelter to play with some neglected puppies.
7. Write Someone A Note
You can sign up to write anonymous love letters to those who need a pick-me-up. Or, you can type a letter or email to a friend you have neglected to keep in your world. Sit down with some pen and paper, or a keyboard, and let your kind words flow!
8. Do Something For The Homeless
Homeless folks probably need kindness the most. Whether it’s buying them a sandwich, slipping them a few bucks, or just keeping them company, show them some love today.
9. Don’t Forget Those Closest To You
Cook your spouse or roommate a surprise dinner, or welcome them home at the front door with such warm enthusiasm, they’ll wonder what they did to deserve it. Take your inspiration from this guy, who welcomed his wife home from the airport with a trumpet serenade.
10. Mow Someone’s Lawn Or Rake Their Leaves
If you enjoy mowing the lawn, use your positive attitude for a neighbor. If you don’t like raking leaves, it makes the kindness all the more significant when you toil for 30 minutes on someone else’s yard. Try knocking on a stranger’s door and see if their yard could use some love.
11. Pull Into a Drive-thru to Pay for Someone’s Order
Using a classic anonymous trick for restoring a stranger’s faith in humanity, pull into a drive-thru and pay for the person behind you. You don’t even have to buy anything for yourself–just tell the worker it’s World Kindness Day. You might even start a chain reaction of drivers covering the bill for the car behind, like this one.
12. Tip Someone
Working in food or retail can be one of the most stressful gigs on the planet. Extend your kindness to your cabbie with a theme park ticket, or give your pizza driver a hefty tip… a REALLY hefty tip. If you want to get extra creative, pay a gratuity to someone who doesn’t normally receive any appreciation like the garbage haulers or your postal worker.
For dozens of more ideas for acts of kindness, check out this Random Acts of Kindness Generator sent in by Shari’s Berries, or see a list at Brad Aronson’s blog.
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