Kindness is often overlooked. You can forget to be kind to strangers, your loved ones, and most importantly yourself. It’s difficult to be kind when there’s so much going on in life; work, stress, worrying about paying the bills. Why bother?
Kindness is the secret sauce for happiness. If you can be kind to yourself and to others, then you can boost feelings of confidence, happiness, optimism, and even control for all involved. This is because when you feel good, you feel like you’ve got a grip on life.
Here are some ways to make the world a better place, one little act at a time.
1. Compliment people
Compliments are an easy way to be kind. Whether you’re speaking to strangers, coworkers, or staff at the places you patronize, compliments show people that they are noticeable. It’s humanizing to be noticed for the way that you look or something that you did.
Go for simple, straightforward compliments that won’t make the other party feel uncomfortable, such as “I like your earrings”, or “this meal is amazing, my compliments to the chef”.
It makes both you and the other party feel great!
2. Check in
The people in your life have just as much going on as you do, and sometimes you can both find it hard to find the time to reach out. Checking in with your loved ones shows them that you really care and that you’re there for them.
3. Be polite on the road
Driving can be a really stressful endeavor, so do your best to be gracious on the roads. Let someone go in front of you, slow down so that another person can merge, or even pay for the person behind you when you’re at a drive-through.
If you take public transport, you could give up your seat for someone else, pay for their ticket, or even help someone with their bags.
4. Help a stranger
If you’re walking about town and see someone having a hard time with something, go out of your way to help them. Help an elderly or blind person cross the street, carry someone’s groceries for them, or offer a kind word to someone struggling with their rowdy kids.
You could even offer to return someone’s grocery cart for them or help someone who looks lost.
5. Help the homeless
You could volunteer at a soup kitchen or work with another charity that helps the homeless, but you could just as easily help them yourself. Some ways that you can do so include buying them a warm meal, giving them weather-appropriate clothes and gear (such as blankets, tents, or sleeping bags), and providing them with toiletries like menstrual products, toothbrushes, and soap.
You can keep these in your car so that you can access them whenever you see someone in need.
6. Clean up your area
Everyone likes a clean neighborhood. You can be kind to those who live near you and yourself without ever having to speak to anyone by cleaning up trash, raking leaves, or even shoveling snow. If you’d like to help out a specific neighbor or neighbors, speak to them about what their lawn needs and do what you can.
This can bring you closer as well!
7. Thank those who serve the public
Give your local firefighting station a treat, like a cake or maybe a box of doughnuts, or perhaps give your mailperson a chocolate bar. Reminding the essential workers that the public they serve cares about them will not only make their day, it will reinforce their importance.
8. Talk to someone who looks lonely
Whether it’s someone at your work, institution, or even just someone in the restaurant you’re at, strike up a conversation with someone who looks lonely. You can make them feel less alienated and you might even make a new friend!
9. Look out for those at your workplace
The workplace can be brutal. Pass along compliments for your coworkers to your boss, pick up someone else’s slack when you see that they’re struggling, take some time to speak to the new hire and invite them for lunch. If someone you work with is out sick, send them a care package or drop by with things that they might need like medicine, house supplies, or food.
There are other things that you can do as well, which can become great habits to have. You could thank those that have helped you in your career, share your knowledge freely with others, and tell your coworkers things that you admire about them.
Being kind is easy
There are countless ways in which you can be nice to others, and all of them will make you feel good too. Try these ideas out and make the world a little kinder.
