25 acts of kindness
1. Donating some used
books. Though having a collection of them is lovely, so is sharing with people
who couldn’t otherwise afford to buy them new. And when you do, write a note to
the next person inside the front cover.
2. Inviting
new people into your friend group, or at least making a sincere effort to
include everyone who is already in it.
3.
Making a donation to some lesser-known but awesome charities like The Cinderella Project, which is an organization
that works toward ensuring that young women with financial restraints can
attend prom and other formal events at school.
4.
Sharing your umbrella with a stranger.
5. Stopping
negative conversations when you realize that you are a part of them or standing
up for someone who other people are speaking ill of without their knowledge.
The only way to stop the vicious cycle is by actively choosing to do so, one
instance at a time.
6.
Acknowledging people who work in maintenance at your office or apartment
building. Asking them how they’re doing, getting to know them. Just the gesture
of taking an interest in the people who many often blatantly ignore is enough
to at least make their day.
7. Buying
lemonade from kids’ stands, and paying more than the $.25 they charge for it.
8. Paying
for someone’s groceries, especially when it’s not much. My mom once told me
about the time she was behind a man buying baby food who didn’t have enough
money for it and how he teared up when she paid for it and thanked her because
she helped feed his newborn.
9. Paying
for someone’s drink, even if you’re not on a date.
10. Calling
your parents.
11. Striking
up a conversation with the person you’re stuck with in the elevator, rather
than just pretending they don’t exist.
12. Sharing
an article that made you smile or think.
13. Grabbing
your roommate/significant other’s favorite food while you’re out shopping. It
probably doesn’t cost much, it’s a tiny gesture of love, but one that will make
them really happy (and they’ll probably return the favor eventually too– not
that it matters).
14.
Sending actual letters to people. Texts and emails are cute, but handwritten
cards and letters are the things that people save for the rest of their lives.
15. Giving
someone a massage. As someone who is constantly in need of a back massage, I
can’t say enough how happy it makes me when someone voluntarily gives me one.
It’s an instant mood lifter.
16.
Sitting and talking with your grandparents, not out of obligation but interest.
So often people interact with their relatives as a matter of routine and duty,
not because they are awesome people with wisdom and stories and love. The idea
that friendship can only exist between people of the same age range is insane.
17.
Personally tipping your barista.
18. Though
it’s probably a cliché at this point, spend a night at a food kitchen in your
area. I did so in college with a few friends and interacting with the people
there, people with children, grandparents, babies, who were clearly sick and
unwell, all getting out of the cold for a little bit to eat something, was
almost a revelation for me.
19.
Giving the parking spot you were going to take to the person who pulled up just
a second too late. It will really make someone’s day and probably only costs
you a couple more feet of walking, which isn’t bad for you regardless.
20.
Giving up your seat on a subway. I once had someone do this for me– only once–
and yet I still think of it as one of the kindest things someone’s done for me,
especially at the end of a grueling day in unseemly pumps.
21. Using
the classic tactic of “praise, critique, praise” when in the position of giving
honest feedback. People are too quick to criticize and too often to sugar coat
that which doesn’t benefit the person by avoiding.
22.
Apologizing first.
23.
Taking your younger sibling (or some other small person) out for a day you
would have loved to have at that age.
24.
Donating the higher end things that you don’t need anymore, like sports equipment
or formal wear, because in reality, those are the things that people will
struggle to afford if they’re hurting financially anyway. They can probably
find another t-shirt anywhere.
25.
Saying thank you to whoever helps you
