Random acts of kindness are one of the most amazing ways you can spread good in the world. For those of you who aren’t aware, random acts of kindness are something you do, a gesture that benefits another person with no expectation of anything in return. It can be as small or elaborate as you want and you know what? They make you feel great.
Because I believe the world could always do with more kindness, I want to inspire you to go out and do a random act of kindness for someone else. So I’m sharing some ideas. Some are really simple, some don’t cost any money at all and all of them are guaranteed to make someone else smile and to make you feel on top of the world.
1 – Pay for the next person’s coffee when you’re in line at the coffee shop.
This can be done in a few ways… If you’re chatty, ask them what they are ordering while you’re waiting and then just order it and pay for it for them. If you’re a little more introverted then explain to the cashier that you’re wanting to pay for the next person’s coffee and get them to add it to your bill.
**Bonus Tip – if you have a buy one get one free loyalty card then you could always use your member benefit to ‘purchase’ the next persons drink.
2 – Send a card.
When was the last time you posted a handwritten card to someone? I LOVE sending cards to my friends and family and have quite a collection sitting at home for whenever the idea pops up to send a card. Again, it doesn’t have to be expensive, you can just grab a cheap card or even make one yourself. In a digital world, receiving a handwritten anything is always a lovely surprise.
** Bonus Tip – send a handwritten letter. These are even more rare than cards and can mean so much.
3 – Offer to babysit your friend’s children for a few hours.
As a parent, I understand how precious a few hours to yourself can be, even if it’s just to be able to have a long shower without anyone yelling out for you. Offer to go over to a friends house and watch their baby, or if you can, get your friend to drop them off and they can go shopping, get their hair done or do anything they want… alone!
**Bonus Tip – take them to a park and let them run around like mad so they are absolutely exhausted and sleep really well too!!
4 – Bake a home cooked meal for a friend or family member who is run off their feet or having a hard time.
When we are busy, stressed or upset the last thing most of us want to do is cook meals and plan ahead. Make sure you cook something that fits within whatever they would normally eat (as in don’t make a beef lasagne if they are vegetarian) and that can be frozen and easily divided into portions.
**Bonus Tip – find out what their favourite dessert is and bake that too. Everyone loves dessert.
5 – Hand out some genuine compliments.
Have you ever been walking along and thought how nice someone looked, how much you liked their handbag or how well behaved their children were? Tell them!! We all love being complimented – even those of us who are awkward and don’t know what to say when someone compliments us!
**Bonus Tip – Compliment a total stranger. You’re sure to make them smile!
6 – Teach someone a new skill.
Are you an absolute knitting pro and have a friend that wants to learn? Perhaps you are a stellar photographer and want to share your skills… sharing knowledge is one of the greatest forms of kindness. Grab a coffee and your favourite cake and make a day of it.
**Bonus Tip – Check out local community groups and offer your skills for a community class.
7 – Pay for someone else’s parking.
Have you ever walked past a parking meter that was flashing ‘expired’? You know that person is about to get a ticket… If you have some spare change pop it in the meter and help someone avoid a parking ticket.
**Bonus Tip – Keep some extra coins in your handbag for this exact purpose.
8 – Allow someone to jump ahead of you in the line at the grocery store.
Have you just spent an hour piling things into your trolley and have someone behind you with just a handful of items? Let them jump ahead of you! It will only add a few minutes to your shopping trip and may save them a whole lot of time.
**Bonus Tip – Chat with the cashier and ask how their day is going. They may see people all day but rarely have actual conversations.
9 – Give up your seat.
Taking public transport can be difficult for some people – especially the elderly or pregnant women. If possible, give up your seat so they are able to sit for the trip.
**Bonus Tip – This random act of kindness isn’t limited to public transport. Keep this in mind when you’re at a café, restaurant or any kind of event.
10 – Donate groceries to charity.
The next time you are out grocery shopping, grab a few extra non-perishable items and drop them off to your local charity. If you do this regularly it will add up over time and every little bit counts. What seems like such a small thing for us can be a major difference for others.
**Bonus Tip – Have everyone in your family or close friends donate $10 each and go do a full grocery shop, just for charity.
What random acts of kindness do you practice? Perhaps you’ve been on the receiving end of one – let us know what it was and why you loved it by commenting below.
