12 Random Acts of Kindness To Try

 

This year I’ve been inspired to be a little more thoughtful and conscious of the things I do. One of these is going out of my way to be helpful. If you have a similar goal a GREAT way to do this is through what we’re going to talk about here…

Random acts of kindness!

So what is a random act of kindness, anyway? It’s a selfless, often spur of the moment decision to do something to make someone else’s day a bit brighter.Sometimes it’s in response to seeing someone in need, other times you might be inspired by what you’re doing – e.g. offering to pay for the meal of the car behind you at the drive-thru.

Whatever the reason, whatever the time, these little actions can really turn someone’s day around. And the good news is people often pass it on, keeping the good feeling and kindness rolling.

12 IdeasFor You to Try

Inspiration often strikes in the moment, but if you’re looking for ideas on random acts of kindness you can try this week or this month check these out:

01. Pay for someone’s coffee

This is a small, inexpensive gesture but can set the day off beautifully. Next time you’re placing your order at the coffee shop or picking up a round for colleagues, consider paying for someone else’s drink too. The frazzled, exhausted commuter in the queue behind you may beso grateful. If you’re not a coffee drinker you can try this with a bunch of other things, like getting someone’s lunch or picking up cake or cookies for the office. It doesn’t have to be a big gesture, just something thoughtful.

02. Let someone ahead of you in the queue

Ah, queueing. So British but so very dull, and at times frustrating. If you’re not in a hurry offering your spot to the person behind you can create a real sense of community, especially if they look like they’re struggling. I see this often at supermarkets, where the small gesture of letting someone with a trolley-load ahead costs you very little in time but can mean a lot to them. While there’s some places you might not want to try this, it’s fair game when queueing in supermarkets, customer service lines, public transport and other places where there’s no value placed on position other than time.

03. Donate to charity

Although many of us give regularly or occasionally to causes that we care deeply about, giving to charity is a great way to pass on a bit of kindness. If you’re out and about and spot someone collecting for your local Air Ambulance crew or similar, see if you can spare a few coins for their cause.So many people pass them by without so much as a smile -be that person who they remember!

04. Create a care parcel

Do you know someone’s who’s struggling or unwell? Sending them a care parcel out of the blue is a lovely way to let them know you’ve got their back. It doesn’t need to be an expensive hamper, a small gift and a thoughtful note inside a card is often enough to make someone feel that little bit better.

05. Compliment someone

We can all feel a bit unsure sometimes, especially if we’re trying out a new hairstyle or have embarked on a new fitness kick. If your colleague’s home-baked cookies are amazing, tell them! Spotted a busy mum on the school run who’s racing around after her kids? Smile and remark on how happy they look.Maybe you’ve seen someone rocking an unusual hair colour – let them know how great they look.

06. Ask someone how their day was – and offer help

All too often we ask people how they’re feeling or how their day was without meaning, it’s just another social convention. Every now and then take some time to delve a little deeper, listen to someone’s story and ask if there’s anything you can support them with. Maybe they’re looking for backers for an upcoming charity run or want some advice on decorating their home – if it’s something you can help with, and you genuinely want to, then do.

07. Celebrate an achievement

So many of us fall into the trap of talking about ourselves and our own achievements at the expense of listening to what’s going on in others’ lives. This ties in nicely with #6 as it means really listening and caring about other people’s lives. Next time someone close to you is celebrating something, big or small, go out of your way to celebrate with them. Maybe it doesn’t call for a card and a bottle of fizz but joining in with their excitement is something we can all do.

08.Get baking… or use your hobbies for good

If you’re a hobbyist or enthusiast baker, crafter or other creative person this is a great way to incorporate more giving into your everyday life. There’s so much good we can all do with our hobbies and interests if we look a little closer. If you love baking, try makinga cake for a friend that’s having a hard time, and sitting down with them and a good cuppa. For the skilled crafters out there donating knitted cardigans to the local neonatal care unit isa special way to share kindness. For the bloggers among us writing aboutimportant causes is a fabulous way to bring awareness of them to different groups of people.

09. Pass on bus tickets and loyalty cards

Still have some time before your daily bus ticket expires but you don’t need it any more? Pass it on to someone waiting at a bus stop. I’ve had this happen to me a few times and, even though it only saves me a few pounds, it’s really made me smile. It costs you nothing after all, so if you can spare it, do. This works well with loyalty cards too. You’ve got enough stickers for a free coffee or sandwich? Pass the card on to someone so they can benefit from it.

10. Leave a positive comment on a blog

Had to try and weave this one in somewhere! As a blogger I also read a lot of different blogs and it’s one of my aims this year to leave more comments. Why? Because only a very small percentage of readers will leave a comment, but I know that every single commentis read and appreciated by the blogger. So if you’ve enjoyed reading a post or have something to say make sure you leave a comment.

11. Offer to help a neighbour

Life is so busy that it’s easy to get on with it and not be aware of what’s happening outside… sometimes literally outside your own door. If it’s been a while since you said hello to a neighbour why not stop by, or say hi when you see them, and ask if there’s anything small you can do for them. Maybe you can pick up their favourite magazine on your weekly grocery run orhelp them with a crossword puzzle. The options are endless and there might be something you can really do to make their life a bit easier.

12. Share something you’ve enjoyed reading or watching

Similar to #10, if you’ve read or watched or crafted something and enjoyed it then share it! Share a recipe that’s become a family favourite, or a blog that touched your heart, or a competition that someone you know would love to enter. It’s an easy way to thank the creator, support family and friends with their goals, or spread awareness or joy.

Let’sstart spreading kindness

I challenge you this week to try a new random act of kindness. It could be one from this list or one you’ve thought of, but give it a go and see what happens. I’d love you to share the results here too, or maybe you can share a story of your favourite act – either one you’ve done for others or one you’ve been on the receiving end of.

Looking for more ideas? Try this acts of kindness bingo! (free download)