The world could definitely use some extra niceness and kindness this time of year. National Do Something Nice Day takes place on Oct. 5 every year. Doing a kind gesture doesn’t have to be grand, time consuming or expensive. As author Catherine Ryan Hyde wrote, “There is no wrong way to perform an act of kindness.”
There are several ways you can easily show someone a random act of kindness and hopefully make them pass it forward or at least make them feel better.
Send a note to someone.
Write a quick note to a friend or family member you haven’t spoken to in a while. Let them know you are thinking about them and ask how they are doing. In today’s digital world, it’s easy to send a quick text message their way, but you could bring back snail mail and write them a quick handwritten note. Drop it in the mailbox and wait for them to respond back!
Bake a treat for a neighbor.
Food is always good for the soul. Keep it simple with some easy slice and bake cookies or pull out your family’s secret recipe for your favorite dessert and share it with a neighbor or friend. Drop it off or invite someone over to share it and good conversation with you for the afternoon.
Pay it forward at the coffee shop.
It’s easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of your morning commute and struggle to make sure your coffee run doesn’t make you late to the office. Consider paying for the car behind you and make someone’s day a little more enjoyable. Maybe they will even keep the nice gesture going.
Hold the door open for someone.
This seems to be a lost art sometimes. People are so busy coming and going that they forget that a few extra seconds to hold the door open for somebody can give them a smile and show them that you care (or at least have good manners). Add a smile back and maybe even a quick “have a good day” to show them that there are still nice people in the world.
Offer to return someone’s shopping cart.
After you have finished your shopping and loaded up your groceries, take an extra minute and return someone’s cart for them. Lighten the burden on a new mom wrestling little ones or someone who might appreciate a few less steps. It’s a kind and simple gesture that could really help make someone’s day better.
Even though there is a day dedicated to doing something nice; let’s make it a normal part of our daily routine every day to do nice things, say nice things and be nice to others every chance we can. Together, by being nice we can make this a nicer world for everyone.
