Every year, on the 17 February, is Random Acts of Kindness Day. The purpose of the day is to encourage spontaneous acts of kindness, either to our friends and family, colleagues or people we don’t know out in public.
While it’s good to be doing this throughout the year, in all honesty, the craziness of life can make us all a little self-centered. And that’s okay. This is what the 17 February is all about.
We’re not all comfortable giving a stranger or even those around us a compliment randomly, or thinking of little, easy things to do. So, we’ve created this guide of simple, quick things you can do to brighten up someone else’s day.
Photo by Kyle Glenn on Unsplash.
11 Quick & Easy Random Acts of Kindness
1. Give a compliment.
Like we already acknowledged, giving random compliments is not a comfortable thing to do for some of us. For others, it is.
Whatever side of the fence you’re on, the next time you think to yourself you like someone’s hair, makeup, outfit, how clear their skin is or even how funny they are, tell them! It really is that simple and it will definitely make that person feel special.
2. Pay it forward.
Paying it forward is when you pay for someone else’s coffee, groceries or other stuff, but instead of them paying you back, you ask them to simply pay for someone else’s something later on. It may be paying for someone’s fuel when you notice they’ve forgotten their wallet or simply asking the barista if you can pay for the next person’s order too.
If you’re hesitant about paying it forward, you could also purchase a gift card at the checkout of wherever you are and ask the cashier to use it for the next customer’s purchase or until all used up.
3. Bring tradespeople cold drinks and some snacks.
Working out in the sun is extremely draining. Most tradespeople, road workers and other labourers also don’t tend to get a chance to go to the shops themselves.
If there just happen to be tradespeople working in your area, do a run to the local supermarket or takeaway place and pick up some cold drinks and some snacks. Then, drop them off to the workers.
4. Shout your team lunch or happy hour drinks.
The average person spends more than 2,000 hours at work. That’s a lot of time spent with co-workers, and the bonds built tend to be very strong.
However, like anyone in our lives, we often take them for granted, especially if they do a lot for us. Even if you’re not a manager, offer to take your team out to lunch or shout them a round of drinks at happy hour. Not only will they appreciate it, you’ll also grow closer as a working team too.
Can’t escape the office or workplace? Order in!
5. Leave a business an online review.
Leaving businesses reviews should be something we all do when we visit somewhere new, but we tend to forget about. When a business gives you a good experience in the next week, be sure to thank them and share how they helped you with the world in a review on localsearch.com.au or Google!
6. Ask someone how their day is.
You never know what someone is going through. By being more observant, you may notice someone is yawning a little more than normal, looking at their phone more often or other signs something may be going on.
Genuinely ask them how they are, even if it’s someone you may not normally speak too. If you’re not comfortable doing this in person or there are a lot of people around, maybe send them a quick email or a message. It should be genuine too. You may have something going on and may not be in a good mindset to listen, so if you’re not, don’t feel like this is the random acts of kindness for you.
7. Leave random notes of kindness for people.
On Random Acts of Kindness Day, carry a little Post-It note block and a pen with you. Whether you’re at a restaurant, work or just at home with your family, leave a few little notes for people with motivational quotes, things you admire about them or just a quick thank you.
The smallest acts can leave a smile on someone’s face all day.
8. Volunteer to cook for someone who is stressed.
Think about the people in your life. Has someone just had a baby? Is someone stressed about work? Are exams on for someone at uni? If your mind does go to someone in particular, offer to cook them a meal or do something for them to ease the pressure on their plate.
9. Give a care package to your local firies.
Australia has been through a lot this year, and it’s only mid-February. During the Australian bushfires, our firefighters worked around the clock, often sleeping in trucks or on the grass to try and get rest inbetween battling blazes.
This Random Acts of Kindness Day, if you’re in the position to, say thank you to our firies with a kind word and/or a care package. While you’re out and about, stop by your local fire station with a few snacks, maybe a homemade treat, and let them know how much we all appreciate their efforts.
10. Be kind to retail and hospitality workers.
When we’re eating out or shopping, it’s easy to forget how something small like leaving a tray of rubbish on a table or messing up a pile of shirts can impact someone else’s day. Take the time to be a little more cautious and clean up after yourself while out, even if it’s just putting your rubbish in the bin.
11. Order a distant friend or family member flowers.
Most of us will live away from a friend or family member. Today, make the effort to let them know they’re in your thoughts by ordering them some flowers.
As long as you know their location, you can find their local florist on localsearch.com.au!
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