In the spirit of giving, think about a gesture of kindness that you can do towards someone you know or to a complete stranger. This gift of kindness or random act of kindness can bring about a positive impact on a person’s mood or spirit. Your effort can even have a far-reaching effect beyond the person you did the act for initially. They can be inspired to pay it forward or take action on something in his or her life that positively influences others.
Try this: To practice kindness, here are some ideas:
- Pay for the person behind you at the drive thru
- Praise someone you work with for a job well done
- Volunteer your time to a homeless shelter or other organization
- Express your gratitude to someone who could use the appreciation, and cheer up a loved one with an unexpected gift.
You can read our post “100 Ways to Be Kinder” for many more kindness ideas.
What happened when you did this practice? Share your experience and inspire others by commenting below.
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Love to you!
Practicing kindness is a strength, not a weakness. To think of another instead of yourself, to break free from the enormous centripetal force of ego, requires strength. In no way is practicing kindness for the weak. Recently, I have tried to perform one simple act of kindness a day: buying a cup of coffee for the male receptionist in our building lobby, making a small donation to a solicitor of a charity outside of Whole Foods, giving a compliment to the maid cleaning our hotel room or telling my daughter how proud I am of her. They’re small acts of kindness but they can produce large effects. One effect? Happiness is the recipient and the giver of the kindness. And happiness, as the Dalai Lama says, is the purpose of living.
Hello Vince, Beautifully said! It’s so great to hear how you are doing one simple act of kindness everyday! I love that you are telling your daughter how proud you are of her. Because you have made kindness distinct in your life, I bet the opportunities to give kindness are appearing more and more. I am sure that your good deeds are an inspiration to all! Keep up the great work! And let us know how you do!