Stay Kind

Kindness is something you do

Kindness is not just an excellent idea or a conversation; it’s something you do. It is an action that makes the world a better place for everyone; the person being kind, and the person receiving the act of kindness. Because every time you do a simple act of kindness for someone, your well-being and happiness increase.

Kindness is in our nature. It’s how we are created, it’s who we are, and it’s what we do. “STAY KIND” is a call-to-action for that kindness to be ever-present in our everyday actions and lives.

Most people are suffering

The truth is, most people in the world are suffering. Some people don’t have clean water; others live on the streets; others are in broken relationships, struggling with anxiety grieving the death of a loved one. You name it. Everyone has a whole wave of challenges they go through. That’s why acts of kindness are so important. Because for a brief moment, it lets people know that things are going to be okay.

Like the time when our family was going through a rough time, a family friend was visiting us from overseas. Unaware of our struggles at that time, she brought us a stack of uplifting books with positive messages—a perfect gift, just what we needed to lift our spirits.

Or that time when a loved one passed away, and a cousin organised a family picnic with flowers, shoulder massages and homemade delicacies prepared and beautifully packed with lots of love.

Do you have someone in your life who inspired you to be a better person? Did you witness an act of kindness that left an impression? Share your kindness story with us.

A hundred more ways to be kind

Kind acts don’t need to be expensive. Even simple gestures can make a difference. Being kind to others help take the focus off your pain and suffering. You won’t believe how helping other people can improve your daily struggles.

Here are some acts of kindness for you to consider. For fun, feel free to score yourself!

95 and above – Well done! You are very sensitive to the needs of others and are being considered as a kind and generous person.

Between 65 and 95 –  Sometimes you need encouragement but usually happy to offer a helping hand.

Below 65 – Needs improvement.

1. Hold the elevator door open for someone
2. Leave kind messages on social media posts
3. Write an appreciation card to your co-workers and friends
4. Pick up garbage you see on the floor
5. Help with chores around the house without being asked
6. Check-in on a new mom or dad every couple of weeks, so they don’t feel lonely
7. Smile at strangers
8. Buy a coffee for the person behind you
9. Convince your work to collect and donate pop can tabs to charity
10. Bring muffins and coffees to work one morning
11. Send a thank-you note to your former teacher
12. Do the thing someone always nags you about
13. Send a Christmas card to kids in the hospital
14. Leave extra change in a vending machine
15. Listen with care to someone’s struggles
16. 16.Compliment a friend
17. Buy a food gift basket for the family who recently lost someone
18. Forgive someone who hurt you
19. Give a generous tip to those working in the service industry
20. Call a friend to see how they’re doing
21. Send positive vibes to your enemy
22. Throw someone you care about a surprise birthday party
23. Volunteer at a non-profit
24. Leave a positive review for a local business
25. Donate blood
26. Cheer on marathoners at the sidelines
27. Visit an elderly relative at a nursing home
28. Gossip less
29. Leave your Hotel room tidy with a tip and a thank you note to the cleaner
30. Speak positively
31. Love people with your whole heart
32. Donate your old clothes
33. Buy lunch for a homeless person
34. Tell someone who once helped you that you’re doing well now
35. Show gratitude
36. Mow your neighbour’s lawn or shovel their driveway
37. Show up on time
38. Allow a car to pass in front of you
39. Bring flowers to a nursing home
40. Create a 100 Reasons Why I Love You video for someone you care about
41. Share compliments you hear from other people
42. Check-in on those who’ve lost parents on Mother’s and Father’s Day
43. Write a long heartfelt message in a birthday or Christmas card.
44. Offer your seat to a person in need on the bus
45. Donate money to your favourite charity
46. Send a message to your co-workers boss to tell them a kind thing they did
47. Buy canned goods for a local food bank
48. Invite someone over for dinner
49. Spend time with loved ones
50. Mentor or tutor someone who needs help
51. Send a care package to a struggling friend
52. Put a coin in an expired meter
53. Teach someone something new
54. Offer to drive the neighbour’s kids to school along with yours
55. Return something you borrowed
56. Apologise when you mess up
57. Offer to babysit for a new parent
58. Don’t hold grudges
59. Cook someone’s favourite meal
60. Encourage a co-worker to go after a promotion
61. Offer to take care of a friend’s pet when they’re on vacation
62. Help someone with a project
63. Be honest to everyone
64. Give coupons that can be redeemed for your services for free such as pep talk, massage, chores, etc.
65. Throw a family party so people can make great memories together
66. Let someone go ahead of you inline
67. Leave positive messages in your children’s lunch bags
68. Remind people what they’ve got going for them when they can’t see it
69. Give someone a high five
70. Recommend a colleague on LinkedIn
71. Help an unemployed person get a job
72. Play with your pet for an extended period
73. Share the vegetables you’ve grown in your garden
74. Tell someone “I love you”.
75. Remove hateful graffiti in your neighbourhood
76. Offer to fix something that broke
77. After a wedding donate your flowers to a local nursing home
78. Send a kind letter to people in need
79. Rescue an animal that’s in danger
80. Put your phone away when you’re with someone
81. Surprise someone with a bucket list activity
82. Include someone in a conversation
83. Stand up against someone being bullied
84. Help pay for a student’s education
85. Buy someone in need groceries
86. Surprise someone who can’t afford Christmas presents with gifts
87. Help someone with anxiety feel safe
88. Be there for someone struggling with depression and suicidal thoughts
89. Bring a special snack for a person with severe dietary restrictions
90. Tell your kids bedtime stories
91. Make breakfast in bed for your family
92. Offer to take pictures of tourists struggling to take a selfie
93. Leave a comment on a blog post you enjoyed
94. Invite a new co-worker to lunch
95. Chat up the lonely or shy person in a room
96. Buy something from your friend’s new business
97. Be patient with a difficult person
98. Use reusable bags
99. Bake cookies for your friends and family
100. Donate toys to a children’s hospital
101. Donate feminine hygiene to a homeless woman
102. Help a domestic abuse survivor feel safe.
103. Leave positive comments on a YouTube channel that regularly gets a lot of hate
104. Believe in someone who doesn’t believe in themselves
105. Hide positive bookmarks in random library books
106. Plant a tree
107. Be kind to yourself
108. Thank your garbage man
109. Speak highly of others when they’re being gossiped about
110. Encourage someone to go after their dreams
111. Give someone the benefit of the doubt
112. Adopt a pet
113. Check-in on someone a few months after they’ve been divorced
114. Buy someone dinner
115. Ask for the recipe of a delicious meal someone made
116. Give $5 coffee cards to homeless people around the holidays
117. Buy lemonade from a kid’s lemonade stand
118. Donate to a local charity
119. Give small gift cards to random people for helping you, doing something kind, or who are just awesome
120. Do volunteer activities as a family to spread goodness at scale
121. Give stickers to your child to pass out to all of his or her classmates
122. Get to know someone
123. Donate positive reading material to the doctor’s office
124. Message the wife or husband of a newly married friend telling them how lucky they are to have that person in their life and share a heartfelt story of something beautiful they did for you
125. Drop off a gift basket for fire-fighters or police station with goodies
126. Turn off the water when it’s not being used
127. Hand deliver a get well card to a friend in the hospital
128. Run a marathon for a charity
129. Create a homemade gift for someone
130. Give someone who recently moved a tour of the city
131. Watch someone else’s favourite show with them
132. Stop complaining
133. Pay for someone’s bus fare
134. Show gratitude when someone lets you change lanes, or gives you the go-ahead at a stop sign.
135. Show respect and gratitude to all the frontline healthcare workers, firefighters, police and teachers.

Thank you to the following sources

150+ Acts of Kindness to Show Compassion, Kindness, and Love – Rachel Sharpe

Kind July – staykind.org

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