In Progress, On Purpose
75 Simple Random Acts of Kindness to Inspire You
Have you ever been experienced someone’s random act of kindness? It could be as simple as opening the door for you or receiving a thank you note. Didn’t it make you feel that you existed?
Simple acts of kindness can make profound impact on the giver and the receiver. It can brighten their day. It might be the only good thing that happened in a long time.
These simple gestures of kindness are usually spontaneous and sincere. And yet it can have ripple effects on a person. This is reminder that life is all about small moments.
Its these that make life beautiful and worth living. A little kindness can go long way.
You may have been on the receiver end all this time. Its time to enjoy being on the giver end, don’t you think?
In this post I am sharing 70 random acts of kindness, to spread joy and positivity.
Benefits of Random Acts of Kindness
1. It may help reduce anxiety and depression.
Social connections are important for a person’s mental health. But in today’s world everyone is connected yet so distant from each other.
This has taken a toll on people’s mental health. Rates of anxiety and depression are all time high.
New research found that the group that engaged in acts of kindness improved their depressive / anxiety symptoms.
2. It makes you feel good
Doing acts of kindness releases positive chemicals such as dopamine and serotonin. It makes you feel good and happy.
3. It strengthens relationships
When you do a simple act of kindness, it means that you thought about that person. Acknowledged that the person existed in your life. Took an effort to do something for that person.
It gives the message that you don’t take him / her for granted.
This can deepen your friendships and strengthen your family bonds.
4. It helps you connect with people
Acts of kindness are a great conversation starter. It can be the ice breaker.
Smiling and opening doors, wishing good morning can foster good relationships with everyday people – the barista, waitress, delivery person and so on.
5. It makes the world a better place.
Random acts of kindness have ripple effect. Its contagious.
It’s how you can make the world a better place. By infusing positivity and joy to people’s life. A small gesture can go a long way.
1. Random Acts of Kindness for Strangers
1. Pay for someone’s coffee or meal: It doesn’t matter if they can afford it or not, just pay the bill. It will make them feel happy.
2. Sincerely compliment a stranger: It can be about their outfit, their smile or their aura. Make them feel good. Imagine if its someone who is struggling with self confidence, the impact you can make with such a compliment.
3. Help someone find their way: Even with Google maps, people become lost. If you see someone struggling to reach somewhere, help them find their directions. Saves their time.
4. Hold the shopping bag for an elderly person: Elderly people are often ignored by the society. They are generally slow due to their old age. Today’s world only favors everything and everyone who is fast. Help an elderly person by holding their grocery bag and walk with them. It means you are slowing down for them which they will appreciate.
5. Hold the door open for the next person: Makes it convenient for the stranger.
6. Offer someone to come forward in queue to bill their items: If the person behind you has lesser items to bill, switch places with them. Saves their time.
7. Help local small business by leaving a review: Don’t stop by giving five stars. Take a step further. Write a detailed review explaining what you loved about the business.
8. Cheer by a stranger by giving a sticky note with positive message: Share an inspirational quote or a simple message like ‘You are awesome’. This positive words can have a huge impact on someone. Especially, if they are upset.
9. Appreciate security guards: They put in a lot of work. But hardly does anyone appreciate them. We are all guilty of walking past them, as if they don’t exist. Saying thank you, smiling and asking if they had their lunch are some ways you can show appreciation towards them.
10. Offer your train or bus seat for someone: Don’t limit this to pregnant women or elderly people. Give to someone who has been standing for a long time or is looking exhausted. Tired but not sick. Also, you could give up the seat one station before your destination. This is a sweet little thing you can put into daily practice.
2. Random Acts of Kindness for Strangers
11. Bake cookies or cake for your neighbors: Randomly, for no reason, give them home made cookies or cakes. It would definitely surprise them. Make them feel happy that you thought about them.
12. Offer help to mow the lawn or shovel the snow: A little help will make it easier for them to finish this boring task.
13. Invite your new neighbor for a cup of tea: Welcome the new neighbor to the community. Make them feel included.
14. Lend them your books: Books does wonders. Give your neighbors books to inspire them or to take their imagination on a ride. A simple book exchange can be the beginning of a memorable long conversation.
15. Take care of their pet: Become a pet parent at time of emergencies for your neighbor. Or whenever they require help. It would be a great help to them. And, its would be fun for you too.
16. Give them fruits or vegetables: Sharing is caring. It would put a smile on their face.
17. Host a fun community gathering: Its the best way to bring neighbors together. A meaningful evening where you spent time with each other, appreciating their presence in your life.
18. Give cards and gifts to spread holiday cheer: Spread the holiday positivity and fun by giving gifts and cards to your neighbor. Invite them for dinner. It would be so meaningful to them if they are unable to spend the holidays with friends and family.
19. Lend tools: Help your neighbor by lending tools or any other things that they require.
20. Spend time with an elderly neighbor: Elderly are lonely. No one slows down for them. They feel misfit in this modern world. Make some time to be in company of an elderly person in your neighborhood.
3. Random Acts of Kindness at Work
21. Buy coffee or tea for coworkers: Sometimes your coworkers are so busy doing their work that they can hardly take a break. Buy a cup of coffee or tea and help them have a few minutes of relaxation.
22. Cook something special for your coworkers: Cook a cuisine or a dish that your coworkers haven’t tried, and share it with them.
23. Lift colleagues spirits by writing a motivational note: Your colleague might look normal but a tornado might be raging through the mind. Write a motivational note to lift their spirits up. Even if everything is ok, everyone needs a bit of motivation.
24. Recognize their hard work and appreciate them: Appreciation makes a person feel seen. It means their hard work and creativity is acknowledged. And that brings immense joy. So, take a moment to appreciate your colleague’s efforts.
25. Help a coworker with a difficult project: Your help could be simple. Maybe research about something or help to make presentations.
26. Gift a small indoor plant: A small desk plant brings a touch of greenery into the workspace. It will promote a calm and productive environment.
27. Wish coworkers good morning with a sincere smile: A simple smile goes a long way.
28. Write a good review for a coworker on LinkedIn: Do your bit to help your colleague to have a good career.
29. Organize a birthday party for your colleague: Many people migrate to another city or country for a better future. Away from home, navigating life through unfamiliar circumstances. This can cause loneliness. Make your colleague feel happy on this special day so that the pain of not being able to celebrate with the loved ones can be reduced.
30. Extend a helping hand when a coworker is having emergency situations: Unexpected events can make things difficult for anyone. Help your colleague at the time of emergencies to complete their work.
4. Random Acts of Kindness for Friends and Family
31. Run some errands to help them: Help your mom in the kitchen, or dad in gardening or buy things from the supermarket. Help out to make things easier for them.
32. Randomly call a friend or a family member to check on them: People struggling with loneliness, anxiety, depression, is all time high. Your loved ones might be struggling too. You might be unaware about it. Spare sometime to call a friend or a relative and make sure that they are ok.
33. Write a handwritten note to a loved one: Express your gratitude for being in your life and everything they have done for you.
34. Cook a new recipe from a different cuisine: Treat their taste buds by introducing them to a new cuisine.
35. Host a fun game night with friends and family: Everyone needs a break from this never ending rate race. Take the initiative to host an unforgettable games night with friends and family. It’s time to have some fun.
36. Give your friend a surprise gift: Don’t wait for bday, anniversary or any special day, to gift them. Isn’t everyday a special day because of their presence in your life? Appreciate this by gifting them something. Out of the blue, on a random, regular day.
37. Make an album of old photos and mail them: Going through old photos breathes life to forgotten memories, evoke happiness and will bring a smile to the face
38. Give your undivided attention when they are talking to you: Don’t check the news or scroll through social media when someone is taking to you. Next time, immerse yourself in what they are saying.
39. Write thank you cards for the little things they do: Appreciate them for everything they have done and everything they will do
40. Buy them something that is in their wish-list: Get them a book from their TBR or a dress from their wish list.
5. Random Acts of Kindness for Less Fortunate
41. Donate clothes, food or anything useful to a shelter home: Hundreds and thousands are forced to live in shelter homes as war and natural calamities rob them of everything. Donate anything you can to bring a little solace to them.
42. Offer to help at a community event: The power of community is immeasurable. Become a part of a community event to help the people in need. Together, difference can be made.
43. Make care kits for homeless: Help the homeless by giving them personal care kits.
44. Donate books to a local library or community schools: Provide necessary books so that the children can get properly educated.
45. Make anonymous payment for someone’s utility bills, if possible: Many are struggling to pay bills in this bad economy. If you know someone and can help pay their bills anonymously, it would mean the world to them.
46. Donate toys or board games to charity: Every child deserves a happy childhood. But not everyone is fortunate. Toys brings happiness and can help with cognitive development too. Donate toys or board games to add fun and joy to a child’s life.
47. Sponsor any event that helps the homeless: Find events that actually make a difference and sponsor them, if possible.
48. Buy groceries or gas for someone who needs it: Be considerate of their situation and help them in any way possible.
49. Donate blankets or sweaters for the homeless: Help the homeless fight the winter by donating sweaters, gloves, socks or blankets, whatever you can.
50. Teach children for free at a community center: Imparting knowledge to children is such a noble thing to do. If there is any chance you can do it, don’t miss it.
6. Random Acts of Kindness for the Environment
51. Take part in a tree planting event: With each tree planted, humanity is taking a step towards a better life for the future generation. Be a part of it.
52. Reuse items to help the environment: Put 3Rs – reduce, reuse, recycle to practice. It’s the least you can do to help save the environment.
53. Be part of a beach cleaning drive: Tons and tons of plastic are choking the marine life. They need to breathe too. Join a beach cleaning drive and do your bit to restore the beauty of beaches.
54. Gift eco-friendly items: This could be actually help to start a conversation on the importance of being eco friendly. Not only will gifting eco friendly items help the environment, it will also inspire others to live a sustainable life.
55. Distribute seed packets to encourage planting: Do your best to inspire and encourage others to plant trees by giving them seed packets. This will help to reduce the friction of getting started with planting trees.
56. Leave water in balcony for birds: Birds struggle to find water, especially in scorching summer. This helps them quench their thirst and you can enjoy the sound of birds in balcony.
57. Walk to nearby places: Great for the environment as well as for your own health.
58. Make DIY art and craft from old items: Good for the environment and makes your home look beautiful.
59. Encourage friends and family to reuse and recycle: Educate them about simple ways to live a sustainable life. Explain them how every step taken collectively brings results.
60. Donate to an organization that helps the environment: There are many NGO that are working tirelessly to help the environment. Research a bout them. Donate to any such organization to help them continue their work.
7. Random Acts of Kindness for Yourself
61. Feeling overwhelmed? Take rest: How much care you give to machines and cars and other things so that they function optimally. When it comes to taking care of yourself, all the logic gets thrown out of the window, isn’t it? You need to practice self care. So if you are feeling tired or overwhelmed, take a break. Rest.
62. Write down a list of things you are grateful for: Do you remember when did you truly appreciate things or people that makes your life beautiful and easier? All of us are busy running the race that we hardly stop to look around to appreciate the things that exist in our lives. Take few minutes to write a list of things you are grateful for. Be thankful for their presence in your life.
63. Have a spa day at home: Lazy to leave your house? Treat yourself to a spa day. Set the mood, unplug and unwind, pamper your skin and enjoy.
64. Learn a new skill: Learning a new skill is one of the best ways to invest in yourself. A new skill will keep your mind engaged and become a better person.
65. Look in the mirror and smile at yourself: When is the last time you have appreciated and loved yourself? Take a moment to look in the mirror and smile at yourself. Love yourself for who you are.
66. Walk in a park to calm your mind: Spend some time in nature to free your mind from racing thoughts.
67. Have a digital detox day: Take a break from being hyperconnected and information overload by having a no device day.
68. Gift yourself: You are amazing. You should be proud of yourself for reaching so far in life. Its time to turn some part of your wish-list into reality.
69. Write a love letter to yourself: It is important to practice self love. What do you love about yourself? What are the achievements you are proud? Write a letter that will soothe your soul by being your own cheerleader.
70. Start a piggy bank and save money: Saving doesn’t have to be complicated. You can save as less as 1 dollar per day. At the end of the month, you would have 30 dollars. Enough to buy a book or treat yourself to a meal.
8. Miscellaneous Random Acts of Kindness
71. Donate stationary to school: Not every school can afford to provide the necessary things to their students. Help a school by donating stationaries. Isn’t it wonderful to put a smile on children’s face?
72. Help kids with homework: Kids might not enjoy doing homework. If you know any kid, offer to help them complete the homework. Try to make it fun and engaging so that the kid actually enjoys doing it.
73. Pay for someone’s school fees: Paying for someone’s school fees can make the all the difference in their life. You might be helping bring a genius to the world. You never know!
74. Donate blood to help save lives: This is the most easiest way to help someone in need. You can actually save lives without much effort or monetary expense.
75. Deliver treats to local fire station or police station: These are people who work tirelessly to keep us safe. But never receive the appreciation they truly deserve. Give them some baked cookies. May be give them a handwritten card with a heartfelt message. It will feel like a warm hug to their souls.
Conclusion
Kindness doesn’t have to be brand or complicated. A simple smile, thank you or appreciation can bring back a dead soul to life.
What are you waiting for? Choose your favorites from this list of random acts of kindness and spread compassion and goodness.
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