RANDOM ACTS OF KINDNESS
by Jo Haberstok
(with excerpts from the AARP website)
Random Acts of Kindness Week is February 9-15, and the official Random Acts of Kindness Day is February 17. But we shouldn’t need an official proclamation to do good things every day.
In today’s environment, where everyone seems to have so many things to do, people to see, and places to go, it sometimes feels like kindness and courtesy have begun to take a back seat. Acts of kindness may not be high on everyone’s priority list.
I was getting in line at the only available checkout at the grocery store the other day, with just a handful of items. The fellow in front of me had a full shopping cart. He saw me, smiled, and invited me to go ahead of him. That small act of kindness made me feel really good.
When someone does something nice for another individual (without being asked), it usually improves the day for both of them. And if you happen to be feeling a little down or out of sorts, practicing random acts of kindness may help. A study from The Ohio State University found that people suffering from depression or anxiety may find relief in doing nice things for others. Another study from the University of Oxford found that performing acts of kindness over the course of a week boosted happiness.
The good news is that practicing kindness can be done in simple ways that don’t take much time or effort but can pay off in big ways. Here are just a few ways you can start at almost any time.
• Check in with someone who may be lonely or has recently suffered a loss
• Pick up a few extra groceries/offer to shop for someone
• Find fun and unusual ways to reuse and recycle (ideas)
• Reward good service/businesses with complimentary reviews
• Tell a friend you care (send a card or email)
• Let someone go ahead of you in line (or pay for someone’s coffee or meal)
• Donate items you don’t need (ideas)
• Take a photo for someone (let them be in the picture)
Looking for more ideas? The Random Acts Foundation publishes a free calendar that lists ideas for daily acts of kindness.