Gloria Dukes
Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist Associate
Random acts of kindness are those unexpected things we do to brighten someone’s day or place sunshine where there was not any. Did you know that kindness can be contagious? If you are kind to someone, it makes the other person want to be kind to someone else. It’s how the whole “Pay it forward” thing works. Also, good deeds can make someone else’s day, and yours as a result. Doing good things is its own reward.
A small gesture of kindness toward another can spark a chain of kindness. Doesn’t that sound good?
Just consider, one act of kindness from you could start a whole group of people doing good for others.
Who knows, depending on the act, it could wash over your whole community. One can hope…
Random Acts of Kindness Day is a day to focus on giving and doing for others. This should be something that comes easy for us. Kindness grows in our hearts and cannot be contained once shared with others.
What are some random acts of kindness you can consider?
– Give a card, bouquet of flowers or a compliment just because.
– Pay for someone else’s coffee when in line (indoors or outside in the line waiting). How nice it is early in the morning to have someone purchase your morning wake me up.
– Put 50-100 smiley faces in a box. On each cutout write something that is special about your Friend. Give them the box and tell them whenever they feel down they should pull out a smiley face and read it.
– Send cards to sick children trying to fight serious illness. Pay a visit, give them a smiling face or a teddy bear.
– Make “You Matter” cards and give them out to people who have made a difference in your life.
– Help a teacher with supplies for her class (DonorsChoose.org) help you donate to teachers in
Your community.
– Collect soda can tabs to donate to Ronald McDonald House for sick children and their families. The charity gets paid for these.
– Add a special note to your spouse’s or kid’s lunch.
– Cook an extra portion of dinner (and dessert) and take to an elderly neighbor.
– Visit a nursing home. Interact with the residents.
– Send a card to police officers, soldiers or fire fighters.
– Pay for someone’s purchase (if it’s not in your budget). Or if they’re struggling to find the full amount owed, help them out.