Whether it’s kindness gifts for no particular reason, smiling at a stranger, or letting someone go ahead of us in a queue there are a multitude of small acts we can commit every day to spread a little kindness. And what better time to kickstart a kindness habit than world kindness day.
However if it’s not world kindness day when you are reading this, and it quite possibly won’t be, don’t worry. All these ideas are just as great for any time of the year. Kindness is contagious and random acts of kindness however small have a positive ripple effect that far outweighs that first gesture.
So whether it’s world kindness day, advent, a day full of sunshine or a grey wet day in january why not try out these random acts of kindness ideas.
Pay It Forward
The concept of pay it forward is simple but can have a massive impact and is a great way of affecting positive change. The simple act of doing someone a favour or doing something nice for someone else without expecting anything in return might not seem like that. If we all did it imagine how much more kindness and generosity we would see in the world.
Lots of cafes and coffee shops have pay forward schemes where you can but an extra coffee or meal and then someone else can come in and enjoy it free of charge. Or next time you notice some favour you could do for someone, go ahead and do it and suggest that the recipient pay it forward in whatever way they are able to do.
Do Something Nice for a Stranger
Similar to pay it forward but this could literally be anything. Let someone cut in front of you in a queue, give someone change when they’re struggling for it at a ticket machine, give a stranger a compliment or even just a smile, put a few extra items in your trolley for the local food bank or buy flowers to give to a nursing home.
These little acts are nothing really but it’s amazing the difference something as simple as a smile or 20p for the parking machine can mean to someone and what a difference it can have to their day. And knowing you’ve done something nice will give you a boost as well.
Help In Your Community
This one might take a bit more effort and organisation but not necessarily. Just picking up a bit of little and putting it in the bin or carrying a dog poo bag in your pocket to pick up after someone elses dog are acts of kindness that may seem to go unnoticed but actually make a big difference.
Spending a morning litter picking the beach or your local area is also a great way of teaching the benefits of being kind to children.
Make a Donation
Sometimes random acts of kindness could be as simple as making a donation. Why not donate phone credit to refugees to allow them to talk to their families or if you don’t have money to give donate clothes, toys or shoes you no longer use to people who really need them.
Gift Ideas
And finally why not send someone a random kindness gift. This could be a teacher, a friend, a co-worker, a child or a complete stranger. We’re used to sending gifts for birthdays and other special occasions like Christmas gifts for girlfriends but why not send things just because we are thinking of someone, because we saw something we thought they might like, or because we know they could use or would appreciate a bit of a pick me up.
