50 Ways to Be Kind

It doesn’t take much to be kind. Here are 50 ideas. How many of them do you do?

1. Fill parking meters. It’s a simple act. Kids love thinking they are helping someone, and it never costs much.
2. Saying please and thank you are a great start.
3. Listen and assume heartfelt understanding.
4. Do unto others what you would want done to you.
5. Bring cookies and treats to emergency responders, firemen, police and EMS workers.
6. Volunteer at a local food bank.
7. Smile at 10 people every single day.
8. Smile kindly, chat, and spend an extra minute paying attention to patients.
9. Wear happy colors to cheer patients subconsciously.
10. When a neighbor or friend has surgery, is sick, or has a baby, make them a full dinner from soup to nuts, offer to help with laundry or any other thing they may need.
11. Ask family members of patients how they are doing.
12. Help someone unload their groceries.
13. Plant a garden and surprise someone with the flowers or veggies.
14. Bring in someone else’s trash cans.
15. Buy a coffee for the person behind you in the drive-thru.
16. Leave coins at various places like a playground for kids to find.
17. Leave change in a vending machine for the next person to find.
18. Let a vehicle go before you in line or in traffic.
19. Save $1/day for a month, then surprise someone with the money.
20. Compliment a stranger.
21. Send a greeting card to a former teacher, pastor or friend.
22. Hand out hand and foot warmers to the homeless.
23. Donate to a charity.
24. Volunteer at an animal shelter.
25. Hold the door open for someone.
26. Make a positive comment on a social media post.
27. Clean a friend’s house.
28. Secretly give a grocery gift card to a family in need.
29. Donate your hair to Locks of Love.
30. Draw a happy chalk drawing on a sidewalk.
31. Hide a surprise note for someone you love.
32. Get back in touch with someone you haven’t spoken to in a while.
33. Give blood.
34. Be an organ donor.
35. Run or walk for a cause.
36. Hang up a bird feeder in your yard.
37. Pay a few compliments to those you meet.
38. Send a card to someone who could use some cheering up.
39. Talk to a shy person at a social event.
40. Leave your favorite book on a bus or train with a note why you like it.
41. Lend a hand to an elderly person shopping or doing yard work.
42. Tell a restaurant manager about the good job your waiter did.
43. Say good morning to passersby even if you don’t know them.
44. Use less plastic for a better earth.
45. Organize a game night at a senior center.
46. Take care of yourself (meditate, get a massage, balance your budget, avoid negative self-talk).
47. Stick up for a person being mistreated.
48. Give hot chocolate to those working outside on a cold day.
49. Leave a generous tip.
50. Share this list and spread the kindness.