101 Acts of Kindness: Making a Positive Impact on a World Filled with Negativity
Acts of kindness allows each of us to make a positive impact on a world that is swarming with negativity. Kindness is an act that, simply, “feels good”. It does not matter if we observe kindness, have kindness bestowed upon us, or bestow kindness upon others. It is said that, when a person experiences kindness – in one way or another – it puts them at their absolute best, as people. Kindness is compassion. Kindness is generosity. Kindness is love. Kindness allows us to connect with others. As parents, we should encourage our children to engage in random acts of kindness. We, too, should engage in these acts. In doing so, we will inspire happiness, high levels of gratitude, and will be making a positive difference in the lives of others that they will want to pay forward! The following outlines 101 acts of kindness that we and our kids may perform in order to make a positive impact on the negative world that we are part of:
1) Smile when you make eye contact with others.
2) Hold the door open for someone.
3) Use kind words when speaking to others, such as “please”, “thank you”, and “you’re welcome”.
4) Compliment a person on their talents.
5) Brag about a person’s accomplishments and really mean it! Use great examples.
6) Congratulate someone on a job well done.
7) Congratulate someone who has been able to do something new and exciting, such as purchase a house or travel to a new and exciting place.
8) Use a person’s name when speaking to them.
9) Listen when others talk – not with the intent to answer, but, with the intent to truly hear them.
10) Be genuinely happy for someone. They will notice!
11) When online, speak positively.
12) Always strive to encourage others.
13) Help those that are less fortunate. Volunteer. There are tons of local opportunities. Places to contact: local Church, schools, libraries, food pantries, hospitals, Red Cross, and animal rescue shelters to name a few.
14) If someone recently had a baby, offer to cook a week’s worth of meals.
15) If someone had a baby, offer to clean their house for a couple of weeks while they adjust to being a new parent.
16) If a car is parked where a meter has expired, put money in it.
17) Do not use your phone when speaking and/or engaging with others.
18) Make friends with the new neighbor they will appreciate it and you will too!
19) Make friends with the new kid at school.
20) Make friends with the new person at work.
21) Invite a neighbor over for dinner.
22) Buy a meal for a homeless person.
23) Make and hand out blessing bags to the homeless.
24) When you buy something new, donate one used item to a family in need, a local charity, or to the local Goodwill store.
25) When someone is speaking, make a point to avoid interrupting them.
26) If someone has made a difference in your life, tell them how much you appreciate it!
27) Send a “Thank You” card to a teacher that inspires/inspired you. This one is for parents too 🙂 A good teacher can make a huge difference in a child’s life.
28) Make something special for a loved one and surprise them with it – such as a homemade card.
29) Visit a local nursing home and make friends with some of the residents that live there.
30) If someone has done you harm, simply forgive them and move on.
31) Do someone else’s chores for a day, a week, or even a month – just because.
32) If you see someone sitting or walking alone at school, work, at the park, or another type of event, go speak to them.
33) When you are done reading books and newspapers, leave them behind or donate them so that others may enjoy them, too!
34) When buying something at a store, leave your change in the change cup so that it may be used by someone who may come up a little short in their purchase.
35) If someone is in a lane at the store that has less items than you do, allow them to go first so that they do not have to wait.
36) Instead of emailing or text messaging someone, write them a real, live letter and mail it!
37) If you have items in your home that you no longer want or need, give them to charity, someone in need, or simply give them away online!
38) If you visit a restaurant or another type of store that has a tip jar, be sure to drop your change in it.
39) Give someone that you know and love a big hug and tell them how much they mean to you!
40) If you spill something somewhere, clean it up.
41) If you make a mess, clean it up.
42) Call your grandparents – all of the time!
43) Call your parents – all of the time!
44) Call all of your loved one as much as you can!
45) If you see litter, pick it up and dispose of it.
46) Volunteer in a local soup kitchen.
47) Volunteer in a local nursing home.
48) Adopt a friend at a local Assisted Living Facility.
49) Make cards and go pass them out to people in the hospital.
50) Buy a bouquet of flowers and surprise a lonely resident at a nursing home.
51) Donate books, money, and clothing to a local homeless shelter.
52) Offer to transport an elderly neighbor to their appointments.
53) Help a neighbor take care of their lawn.
54) Walk your neighbor’s dog.
55) Wash a neighbor’s car.
56) Care for a homeless animal.
57) Sing Christmas carols at a local nursing home during the holidays.
58) Donate sports equipment to an orphanage.
59) Send actual paper-based or card stock “Thank You” notes for everything that you receive.
60) Pay for a person’s bus fare.
61) Pay for someone’s meal at a restaurant you don’t know.
62) Pay for someone’s coffee.
63) Pay for someone’s gas.
64) Be sure to hold your tongue and refrain from saying things when you are upset, angry, sad, or have doubts.
65) Help someone who is moving by offering them your boxes and old newspapers.
66) Help someone move.
67) Allow others to merge into your lane while traveling.
68) Thank every single person who does something for you – from the store clerk, to the teacher, to the bag boy, to the bus driver. Everyone works hard and deserves a little genuine appreciation.
69) If you know someone with a mobility issue, help them by cleaning their house.
70) Help the sick and/or injured by doing their shopping.
71) Help make the world a better place by introducing people and connecting them to each other.
72) Offer to help someone with their school project.
73) Create a homework/study team and make it fun!
74) Send a care package to one of our troops.
75) Be patient with others.
76) Genuinely care about others.
77) Try to find the good in all people.
78) Find at least one thing in each person that you know that you like about them AND TELL THEM 🙂
79) Remember, two negatives always equal a positive and inform others of that fact, as well!
80) Do the dishes. No one likes them, so, it is the perfect thing to do when it comes to being kind!
81) Be kind to the animals of the world
82) Be nice to the elderly AND find an elderly person to help.
83) Do not say bad things about others.
84) Be polite and mind your manners in all situations and around all people.
85) Do nice things and don’t tell anyone at all.
86) Send an anonymous donation to someone or a charity of your choice.
87) Brag on a kid that is behaving and/or being very polite.
88) Brag on the kid’s parents, too!
89) Buy candy and pass around the sweets at school and work.
90) Do not complain around others.
91) Smile! Smile! Smile!
92) Be an optimist even in the most pessimistic of situations!
93) Look for the best!
94) Leave nice comments online.
95) Don’t be rude to others online.
96) Share!
97) Always arrive early.
98) Pray for others!
99) Think of others first!
100) Be kind to the Earth: Recycle, Reuse, Reduce
101) Be kind to Yourself!
and some extra acts of kindness:
102) Buy toys for kids at a children’s hospital.
103) Never forget to tell your loved one and kids you love them EACH night.
104) Create a ‘family’ spare change jar and put a little in it each day (even if it is a penny or dime). Then donate it to charity as a family and start again 🙂
105) Adopt a pet in need.
106) Adopt a family over the holidays
107) Volunteer & make a difference in a child’s life, Become a Big Brother or Big Sister
Lets keep this list going! What is your favorite acts of kindness?
