Since Cody, Ellie & I began our kindness journey, on June 17th, we have received daily e-mails and phone calls from people saying they want to join the kindness journey. We have answered questions about other kind acts, how to get started, etc. There has been a couple of people who called to say that they have found themselves kinder to others since our journey started. Praise God!! I'm thrilled at the idea that our kindness journey is inspiring others to be kind. That was one of the goals. I want to reiterate, there is NOTHING special about us....we are merely showing kindness because God is sooooo kind and good to us. How can we not be kind?
Kindness is contagious and it is simple. What I have found out happens with kindness is you perform a kind act and it puts a smile on your face and somebody elses face. So, why not change the world..one kind act at a time. It can happen!!!
Below is a list of kindness acts that are FREE or won't be very costly to you. Check it out.....
1. Smile at everyone.....it's contagious!!!
2. Take your neighbors mail or paper to him/her..this will save them a trip to the mailbox.
3. Bring flowers to work and share them with coworkers.
4. Garden clubs can make floral arrangements for senior centers, nursing homes, hospitals, police stations, or shut-ins.
5. Volunteer at a school
6. Extend a hand to someone in need. Give your full attention and simply listen.
7. Bring coworkers a special treat.
8. Take cookies to the Police station or fire dept as a thank you for service
9. Hold an ice cream social at a local homeless shelter (who doesn't love ice cream)
10. Sing at a nursing home. ( in my case I don't know if they would want me to sing)
11. Offer a couple of hours of baby-sitting to parents. FREE of charge to them!!!
12. Slip paper smiley faces that say “smile, you are special! Have a great day!” under the windshield wipers of parked cars.
13. Draw names at school or work, and have people bring a small gift or food treat for their secret pal.
14. Remember the bereaved with phone calls, cards, plants, and food.
15. Give someone fruits veggies from your garden
16. Pay a compliment to someone at least once a day.
17. Call or visit a home bound person.
18. Hand out balloons to children in a park. (get an okay from the Park first)
19. Tape a note to the bathroom mirror telling someone just how special they are to you...this could be for anyone (children, parents, spouse, etc)
20. Be a good neighbor. Take over a baked treat or stop by to say “Hello.”
21. Transport someone who can’t drive.
22. Mow a neighbor’s grass.
23. Take quarters to a laundry mat and pay for a complete stranger to wash or dry their clothing
24. Send a special treat to a day-care center (whether you have children there or not)
25. Volunteer at an agency that needs help.
26. Wipe rainwater off shopping carts or hold umbrellas for shoppers on the way to their cars.
27. Everyone has a story to tell....sometimes the kindest thing you can do is listen to someone tell their story.
28. Adopt a homeless pet from the humane society.
29. When school is in session, volunteer to read to students in the classroom.
30. Write notes of appreciation and bring flowers or goodies to teachers or other important people, such as the principal, nurse, custodian, and secretary.
31. Give a hug to a friend.
32. Tell your children why you love them.
33. Become a foster/adoptive parent
34. Volunteer at the library teaching adults how to read
35. Write a thank-you note to someone who has influenced your life in a positive way.
36. Give coffee to people on their way to work in the morning.
37. Donate time at a senior center.
38. Give blood.
39. Visit hospitals with smiles, treats, and friendly conversation for patients.
40. Stop by a nursing home, and visit a resident with no family nearby.
41. Tape the exact change onto a vending machine. This will buy a strangers snack. Leave a note explaining the act of kindness and encourage them to be kind.
42. Give another driver your parking spot.
43. Leave a treat or handmade note of thanks for a delivery person or mail carrier.
44. In your front yard, set up a bowl of water for your neighbors that are walking their dogs (for the dogs) and give the walkers bottled water for themselves.
45. Clean graffiti from neighborhood walls and buildings.
46. Tell your boss that you think he/she does a good job.
47. Tell your employees how much you appreciate their work.
48. Let your staff leave work an hour early.
49. Have a clean-up party in the park.
50. Tell a bus or taxi driver how much you appreciate their driving.
51. Have everyone in your office draw the name of a Random Acts of Kindness buddy out of a hat and do a kind act for their buddy that day or week.
52. Give a pair of tickets to a baseball game or concert to a stranger.
53. Leave an extra big tip for the waiter/waitress along with a thank you note.
54. Drop off a plant, cookies, or donuts to the police or fire department.
55. Open the door for another person.
56. Pay for the meal of the person behind you in the drive-through.
57. Write a note to the boss of someone who has helped you, praising the employee.
58. Leave a bouquet of flowers on the desk of a colleague at work with whom you don’t normally get along.
59. Hold the elevator door open for someone
60. Volunteer to fix up an elderly couple’s home.
61. Pay for the person behind you in the movie line.
62. Give flowers to be delivered with meal delivery programs.
63. Give toys to the children at the shelter or safe house.
64. Give friends and family kindness coupons they can redeem for kind favors.
65. Renew an old friendship by sending a letter or small gift to someone you haven’t talked with in a long time.
66. Take a welcome to the neighborhood basket to new neighbors.
67. Offer to return a shopping cart to the store for someone loading a car.
68. Take new board games to the local hospital for the pediatric floor for the children and parents to use.
69. Buy a roll of brightly colored stickers and give them to children you meet during the day.
70. Let the person behind you in the grocery store go ahead of you in line.
71. When drivers try to merge into your lane, let them in with a wave and a smile.
72. Buy cold drinks for the people next to you at a ball game.
73. Distribute kindness bookmarks that you have made.
74. Create a craft project or build a bird house with a child.
75. Give a bag of groceries to a homeless person.
76. Laugh out loud often and share your smile generously.
77. Plant a tree in your neighborhood.
78. Make a list of things to do to bring more kindness into the world, and have a friend make a list. Exchange lists and do one item per day for a month.
79. Use an instant camera to take people’s photographs at a party or community event, and give the picture to them.
80. As you go about your day, pick up trash.
81. If you know a family who has a soldier deployed overseas call the family, send letters,..offer to take the kids bowling or something fun. The spouse and children will need all kinds of support.
82. Send a gift anonymously to a friend.
83. Organize a clothing, toy, food or book drive for a charity.
84. Buy books for a day care or school.
85. Slip a $20 bill to a person who you know is having financial difficulty.
86. Take a friend to dinner and you pay.
87. Offer to take a friend’s child to ball practice.
88. Hold a you are special day party for someone you know needs to be uplifted and encouraged. The party can be similar to a birthday party complete with cake, presents, etc. Invite friends and neighbors to celebrate. Call it___ day. It would be the persons name day!!! This is fun!
89. Give the person holding a homeless sign money and ask him/her for there name...and tell them you will be praying for them.
90. Pay parking meters for meters that are about to expire. You could be saving someone from a very costly ticket.
91. Donate your magazines to a nursing home or hospitality house..they are new there.
92. Donate children's books to a homeless shelter
93. Mail a care package out to soldiers fighting overseas for our freedom. If not a care package you can be a pen pal.
94. Visit patients at the local VA hospital. The patients there have all fought for our freedom.
95. Volunteer to work your Vacation Bible School at church
96. In the night decorate your child/ren room with balloons, streamers, etc...for no special reason at all...other than you want them to feel as special as they are to you.
97. Donate your outgrown gently used sporting equipment to the league. There are plenty of children who would like to play a sport but can't afford the equipment.
98. Have a yard sale and donate ALL of the funds to a local charity you want to support.
99. Encourage your children host a lemonade stand or toy sale and all proceeds can buy children in foster care (in your area) a new toy.
100. to finish our list out....like my mom always says, "If you have nothing nice to say....say nothing at all!" This is kind! We don't realize but our words are as sharp as a sword..once they are said we can't get them back. So, if you want to say something mean...stop and think before you say anything at all.
Praise God for this kindness journey!!! We see our kindness journey similar to a game of tag. We tag someone with kindness in the hope they turn around and tag someone else with kindness. Wow, the kindness revolution we would see. So, what are you waiting for? Go play tag.
What are some other kindness acts? Tell me all about them. If you do an act....let me know.
I can't wait to hear from you.
So, on your mark, get set, be kind,
Love you to the moon & back,
Annie
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