Kindness In Motion

A Random Act of Kindness Can Change Your Day

Recently, I was the recipient of a random act of kindness when someone I barely know realized I was having a difficult time with something and offered her support. At the time, I didn’t realize what an impact this simple act of kindness would have on my day. It also changed my perspective on the problem I was having. Suddenly, things were not as bad as they seemed.

I started thinking about ways I could make someone’s day a little brighter. For me, it all started with my family. What could I do to show kindness and to help them have a better day?

My first thought was directed to my husband. We all know the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach so I planned to make one of his favorite dinners. I could tell he enjoyed that after a long day at work.

For my kids it’s all about the cookies. When my daughter got home from school, she and my 2 year old had a fresh homemade batch of cookies waiting with a glass of milk. Cookies also seem to draw the neighborhood kids, which is a lot of fun, too.

For as much as I enjoy providing random acts of kindness for my family, I was thinking about my neighbors, friends and total strangers. What were some things I could do to show my kindness to others? Here is a list of ideas I came up with:

* Smile and say “hello” as you pass someone on the street.
* Thank the people who provide endless hours of service without a lot of recognition, like grocery clerks, librarians, school administrators and PTA board members.
* Offer to let someone with fewer items check out in front of you.
* Call a friend or neighbor out of the blue and offer to baby-sit.
* Compliment a stranger on something positive about them.

I would like to encourage all of you to “look up” and see what you can do to make someone’s day a little brighter …