You don’t need a reason to help people. Let’s remember to be kind to one another through these tough times, as it isn’t always apparent on the outside what the struggles we may be facing are on the inside. After all, when this is all over, all that will really matter is how we treated each other.
When we enter this world, our Kindness IQ is intact. We can keep it that way through our actions. Kindness is like a muscle; it gets stronger the more you use it or atrophies if you don’t.
You don’t need a reason to be kind to people. Instead, here are 25 suggestions and ideas of ways to be kind.
1. Smile and make someone’s day a little sweeter.
2. Look for ways you can promote peace.
3. Just listen.
4. Offer a hug or embrace.
5. Invite someone new into your friend tribe.
6. Send out a kind email or card.
7. Give someone a genuine compliment.
8. Help clean up, without being asked, help someone out in a practical way.
9. Hold open the door for the person behind you.
10. Encourage a friend or family member when they are uncertain or unmotivated.
11. Make peace with someone that has hurt you.
12. Strike up a conversation with a stranger.
13. Let someone into your lane while driving.
14. Pay for the person behind you in line.
15. Give your time to a friend or someone who needs it.
16. Say Thank You and Please every day without fail.
17. Meditate on loving-kindness: “May you be happy, healthy, peaceful, and free from suffering, and may my actions in some way contribute to the happiness, health, peace, and freedom for all.
18. Say “I love you” a little more often to your family and friends.
19. Pause before you speak, and choose words with positive intention.
20. Help someone get some rest (watch their kids, run an errand, bring them dinner, etc).
21. Pick up litter you see thrown about even if its not yours.
22. Remove complaints and curses for one week.
23. Gift something meaningful to someone: loan a book, bring flowers, drop off cookies, whatever suits your fancy.
24. Make a donation.
25. Give up your seat, or for that matter, move your yoga mat in class, with positive intent.
Kindness is always a choice. The more conditioned we are to respond with kindness, the more natural it becomes. It is on purpose with purpose.