65 Acts of Kindness
Writing + performing acts of kindness isn’t a new concept,
and I’ve even shared a few acts of kindness lists in the past. But lately, it just feels like the world could use a little extra kindness. So today’s post is all about little ways you can brighten someone else’s day and spread love and kindness to those around you. I’m starting the list at 65 ideas, but will be updating it on a rolling basis as new ideas come up. Some of the ideas on this list are ones that I’ve shared in the past, and some are new. Some are ones I’ve personally done, some are ones I’ve heard of others doing. Some work for those of us who live in a city, some work for those of us who live in a neighborhood, some work for those of us that have lots of co-workers. I’ve also included plenty of activities that require nothing from you, monetary or time-wise, because, believe it or not, you don’t actually need anything at all, money, lots of clothes, excess food, or tons of time, to be a kind person and spread kindness to those around you. Something as simple as a smile and a “Have a great day!” goes a long way. In other words, there are no excuses. Kindness is a gift we can all afford to give. So, get out there and be kind!
P.S. In the spirit of today’s post, I would like to take the time to thank each and every one of you reading this post, reading my site every day, following along on social media, subscribing to my newsletter, interacting, sending me DMs, leaving messages, trying my recipes, sharing my recommendations…it truly touches my heart and makes me day more than I can ever put into words. Thank you!
P.S.S. The rings featured in this post are from AU-Rate (I have the stackable twist ring and infinity ring) and Mejuri, two of my favorite places for sustainably and ethically sourced and produced jewelry. The vintage ash tray is thrifted (but you can find quite a few similar vintage options on Etsy) and the book was purchased in a local store, but is also available on Amazon.
I’d love to know, what are some of your favorite Acts of Kindness to perform?
Smile at a stranger
Tell someone to have a nice day
Tip extra on a restaurant bill
Order someone takeout (maybe someone who is recovering from surgery and can’t cook, or a family that just had a baby or just moved)
Donate to a charity
Set your Amazon account to donate to a charity every time you make a purchase
Purchase coffee for the person behind you in line
Hold the door for someone
Give up your seat for someone on the subway or bus
Purchase movie tickets for the person behind you in line
If you see an elderly person or new mom at the grocery store, offer to push their cart to their car + help them unload their groceries
Share something from your garden with a neighbor
Mow a neighbor’s lawn
Wash a neighbor’s car
Mow the lawn for someone who is disabled or homebound
Support a friend’s business (give them a social media shout-out, buy their book or product, stop into their shop, etc.)
Give a social media shout-out to someone who is inspiring you
Leave a kind comment on the last photo of every person who commented on your last photo on Instagram
Bring a co-worker their favorite snack or drink
Leave an envelop with a kind note + $5 bill somewhere random (like a grocery store shelf)
If you’re out to eat and see someone eating alone (and it doesn’t look like they want to be left alone) invite them to eat with you
If someone is rude to you, respond with kindness. Just a simple wave and “Have a nice day!” will do.
Get up a few minutes early and make coffee or breakfast for your partner
Leave a simple, kind note (something like “Have a great day!” or “You’re going to do an amazing job with your presentation!”) in your kid’s lunch box or your partner’s lunch bag
Send someone a letter or postcard via snail mail (because trust me, nothing says kindness quite like getting something besides a bill or coupon mailers in your mailbox)
Write an inspirational quote on a sticky note and place it in a library book before returning it
Leave quarters in the washing machine/dryer for the next person to do a load of laundry
Let the person behind you in the grocery line go first
Give someone a compliment (and not just something about looks)
If you have great customer service, take a few minutes to tell the employee’s manager
Donate old sheets and towels to an animal shelter
Donate gently used clothes and shoes to a homeless shelter
Next time you’re grocery shopping pick up a few extra canned and dry goods items, then drop them off at a soup kitchen on your way home
Give someone a hug
Bake cookies or muffins for a neighbor
Surprise your partner by coming by their office for an impromptu coffee or lunch date
Next time you’re at a park, the beach or on a walk, bring a bag to collect trash
Sell gently used clothes at second hand stores or on apps like Poshmark, then donate the proceeds to a charity in need
Take time to talk to and/or include someone who may be new to your office/school, etc.
Stop to offer directions to someone who looks like they might be lost
Leave extra parking in the meter of your parking spot for the next person to use
Buy a bouquet of roses, then hand out individual stems to strangers
Offer to watch friend’s baby so they can grab a cup of coffee alone, attend a workout class, etc.
When putting away your grocery cart, offer to put away someone else’s cart, too
If you are inspired by someone’s blog post, stories or a caption, tell them!
If you share something inspired by your favorite blogger or a post you saw, give credit where credit is due
Do a chore that your spouse typically does (like take out the trash, unload the dishwasher, etc.)
Surprise someone with a subscription to a magazine you know they’ve been eyeing
Take out or bring in a neighbor’s trash can along with your own
Pick up a neighbor’s newspaper and bring it to their front door
Pick up breakfast treats for your office or team
Pack two lunches, one for you and one to give to someone in need
Leave a positive note tucked into someone’s windshield
Leave coupons you aren’t using by the appropriate products in the grocery store
Remember people’s names and use them (whether it’s your door man, the office receptionist, the barista at your local coffee shop, or your mailman)
Buy a few bouquets of flowers and drop them off at a local nursing home for them to distribute to the residents
Spend time with someone you know who might be homebound (you can offer to read with them, play a board game, have a meal, or just hang out)
Have a garage sale and donate the proceeds to charity
Donate your used books to a military vet center or vet hospital
Send someone you haven’t heard from in a while a quick text to say you’re thinking of them and you hope all is well
If you see someone sitting next to you on an airplane is traveling with someone else, but they aren’t seated next to each other, offer to trade seats
Offer to pick-up someone’s prescriptions if they are homebound, recovering or elderly
Offer to drive an elderly neighbor or person in your life to run some simple errands, like the bank or the post office
Help someone put their luggage in the overhead bin on an airplane
Share your favorite charity on your Instagram stories with the “Donation” button so other’s can contribute to a cause you are passionate about