February 17, 2020 is Random Acts of Kindness Day, and is the kick-off for an entire week (Feb 16-23, 2020) of encouraging random acts of kindness. Did you also know that there is a foundation dedicated to just this?
What a way to celebrate, just after Valentine’s Day, all of our other fellow human beings. With so much animosity and division in the world lately, it would be a breath of fresh air to add some of these into your day today. Remember, what we give out, we get back, so spread the love, people.
Need some inspiration of some acts of kindness? Here are some ideas from myself and other Madison Mom writers:
- Pay for someone’s coffee
- Add change to someone’s meter
- Hand out small gift cards to strangers
- Hold open the door for someone behind you (obvious, but often overlooked, in our busy, distracted lives)
- Give a compliment to someone you walk by today (bonus points if it’s a mom you don’t know)
- Send a close friend a “Just because” text (or extra special snail mail letter/card) letting her/him know how much you appreciate her/his friendship
- Reach out to a friend you haven’t spoken to in awhile, just to check in, because you care and wanted to say hi
- Offer to come keep a mom friend company and hold the baby, watch the kids, etc, so she can shower, or nap, or just get a break
- Snuggle longer with your kids at bedtime
- Bring in treats to the office, just because
- Write encouraging notes and hand them out to strangers
- Do a LovingKindness Meditation
- Be extra kind when commenting on someone’s social media post
- Thank a teacher/staff/service person either in person, with a quick email, or a card
- Notice someone’s hard work and acknowledge it
- Smile at a stranger (and say hi!)
- Volunteer
- Select and buy items with your kids from various local wish lists (such as the Dane County Humane Society’s) and drop them off together
- Encourage Kindness with these fun “Tag You’re It” Cards
- Hold a “Friends Movie Night” and have a few families from the neighborhood drop their kids for pizza and a movie so they can get out without the extra expense of a babysitter (plus the kids get to hang out! A win-win)
- Give a larger-than-normal tip when you eat out, order groceries, get a coffee, etc.
- Shovel a neighbor’s snowy driveway
- Bring a hot meal to an elderly neighbor
- Slow down and thank nature for providing for us
- Thank your body for waking up today
- Look at yourself in the mirror and compliment yourself, because in all of this, you can’t forget about yourself!
Quick Tips:
Get your Kids involved- they learn by example, so why not have them participate?
Make sure what you are doing is safe (please use common sense).
Even the smallest act matters- don’t underestimate the power of intention.
These should get you started, but if you are looking to add more acts of kindness into your everyday life, check out these free printables provided by the Random Acts of Kindness Foundation.
What are some ways you can spread extra kindness today? Comment below to share some more ideas!
