How to add more kindness to your day
Kindness makes the world a better place – this is universal belief and truth. Not only that but being kind to other people has also been shown to improve our own levels of happiness and wellbeing. What’s even greater news is that there are lots of little ways that you can bring more kindness into your daily life. Keep reading for some ideas and inspiration.
Engage in small acts of kindness to others
Once you start looking for them, you’ll find there are opportunities to be kind to friends, family, and strangers everywhere. Here are just a few favorites:
- Pay someone a genuine compliment
- Hold the door open for people
- Express your gratitude when someone does something for you, however small or minor it may feel
- Do those annoying little jobs straight away, like washing the dishes or changing the water filter
- Tip your servers well
- Give your spare change to a busker
- Bring in your neighbor’s bin from the sidewalk when you bring in your own
- Let someone go ahead of you in line at the coffee shop or supermarket
- Share your umbrella when it rains
- Leave spare quarters in the laundromat for the next person
- Write a positive comment on someone’s blog or social media post
- Pick up litter when you’re out for a walk
- Bake cookies for everyone in your office
- Send a friend a message or flowers to let them know you’re thinking of them
- Leave positive reviews online for businesses that you love
- And lastly, smile – it’s infectious!
Support charities
It’s no secret that local charities rely on goodwill from the community in order to continue with their work, so helping them out is a wonderful way to be kind – and enable them to be kind in turn! One of the most obvious ways that you can support a nonprofit organization is by making a financial donation, but it’s not the only one. For example, you could also donate your unwanted clothes, books, toys, and other items to a charity store, give blood or purchase extra food to give to a homeless shelter.
For those who have spare time, volunteering can be a gratifying way to show kindness. There are lots of options available, such as helping out at a soup kitchen, tutoring disadvantaged children, planting trees, or fostering an abandoned cat or dog until they’re ready to be re-homed. It doesn’t have to be an official event either – you could simply get a group of friends together and head out to clean up your local beach or woodland area.
Be kind to yourself
People tend to focus on being kind to others, but being kind to yourself is just as important. Some of the ways you can do this are by taking care of your physical health, not working too hard, making time for your hobbies, and indulging in a little self-care. It’s also vital not to engage in too much negative thinking. Try to catch yourself when you’re being self-critical, and instead talk to yourself the same way that you would talk to your best friend. This is easier said than done, but with practice will become more natural. Over time, you should feel a noticeable difference in your happiness levels!
Author: Carol Trehearn