10 Ways to Spread a Little Kindness
Kindness can nowadays be interpreted as overused or boring. However kind acts can be big or small, but the intention behind them creates positive waves. In this article, I'll highlight 10 ways you can spread kindness to anyone you come across in your life.
1. Volunteer in your community:
Depending on where you live, there are various needs that need to be met. For example, if you are living in a city, the homeless population may be more prominent. As a result, volunteering at a local homeless shelter for an hour or two can truly make a difference. . By volunteering, you can create a positive impact on your community. You can volunteer with your family, friends, or coworkers to help unite for the common good.
2. Donate food or clothing to your local community
Donating food or clothing to a family in need can be a great way to give back. This small and simple donation can truly make someone's day. Canned goods, dry pasta, or anything nonperishable are great items to donate to your local shelter. Clothing sometimes can have a tendency to multiply in your closet, so it’s a great practice to go through your things every couple months to clean out your closet and give back to those in need.
3. Pay it forward
Paying it forward can look different for everyone. It could be as simple as paying for a stranger's coffee in a drive thru or paying for someone's groceries. This small kind act can be anonymous but still can carry large amounts of weight. I have seen this way to spread kindness in YouTube videos and I believe that this is a great way to cheer someone up.
4. Write a letter to someone you care about
Letters can be a beautiful opportunity to take some time to put your thoughts and appreciation for someone you care about into words. This is more personal than a text check in. A handwritten letter can be a visible sign of your love for another person.
5. Help out with chores around the house
Sometimes the simplest or most tedious tasks can show the greatest amount of kindness to another. This can be as easy as folding the laundry without being asked or doing the dishes for your roommate or family member.
6. Pick up litter at your local park
This kind act has a more broad impact. Giving back to the community by keeping the parks clean is very powerful. From your local neighborhood park to a far greater size park, such as Central Park, caring for the community space and environment is so important.
7. Give a stranger a compliment
It could be smiling at or complimenting a stranger as they pass. These kind acts can catch someone off guard, but showing kindness for no reason is sometimes the best reason of all.
8. Insert coins in someone's parking meter
This is another anonymous kind act that can be small but mighty. There are some days you might forget coins or forget your wallet altogether when needing to park. By someone putting a few coins in a parking meter it can bring joy and relief to someone’s day.
9. Donate toys to a homeless shelter
When thinking about this kind act, I think of the giving tree I have at my church. It is where you pick the name of a child in need off the tree and give a toy to them during the Christmas season. However, this act could take place year round. Donating one toy to a homeless shelter can bring a smile to a child in need for their birthday or just because.
10. Be generous with your thank you's
This act sometimes flies under the radar. You can thank the cashier when leaving the grocery store, the barista for making your coffee, or someone holding the door for you. Saying thank you to anyone you come into contact with is a small way to show your appreciation and spread a little kindness.
Showing kindness to everyone you come in contact with is a simple yet powerful way to show your love and appreciation to others. These are only 10 ways that can help you spread a little more kindness in your family, neighborhood, community or workplace. Although, there are still a plethora of ways to show kindness each and every day. Be creative and never forget to share a little joy and be kind.
By Sarah Viebrock
