Random Acts of Kindness (for Erin!)
Thursday, March 09, 2017
Remember how we're always telling you guys that you inspire us every day? Well, you've done it again.
Meet Erin, a teacher in Indiana who decided that for her 30th birthday (which is today -- happy birthday, Erin!) she wanted her friends to do a random act of kindness in her honor. Because, as she says, "Life is better when we reach out to others, and that's the best gift you could give to me."
So maybe today, let's all go out there and make someone smile - for Erin!
As she says, "I compiled a list of random acts you could do, but you also have freedom to do anything you want."
Erin's List of Random Acts of Kindness:
- Leave a simple note of encouragement on a random car in a parking lot.
- Donate crayons, papers, art supplies and games to your local child care centers or at a Children's Hospital.
- Donate to my favorite charity BlinkNow.
- Buy a bunch of balloons and hand them out to random children.
- Cash in your change jar and buy gift cards to hand out to random people.
- Do you have an artistic talent? Make something for someone and surprise them with it. :)
- Take cookies to local fire department.
- Reach out to someone in your circle who you know is going through a particularly challenging season in their life. Don't bombard them with advice, simply listen and acknowledge their feelings.
- Gift someone you love some music over iTunes.
- Take over dinner to an exhausted, overwhelmed mom. Write her a note about how you notice how hard she is working and what a fantastic job she is doing.
- Pay for the person behind you in a drive thru.
- Leave $ tucked into a corner of some diapers.
- Gather up cans of food to take to your local homeless shelter.
- Send a bunch of real cards in the mail...just because! (It's nice to get something that's not a bill.)
- Clean out your closets and take any blankets, sheets, or towels you don't use to the humane society for the animals.
- Leave change in an envelope on a vending or pop machine for people after you.
- Clean out toys and donate to Big Brothers Big Sisters.
- Donate books to your local library or school. Bilingual books or books with diverse characters wins brownie points, too.
- Leave a gas card at the pump.
- Pick up litter around town.
- Leave a bottle of laundry detergent or quarters at a laundromat.
- Leave a $5 taped to the entrance of a car wash.
- Leave unused coupons next to those items on the shelf.
- Regift an unused gift card by leaving it on someone's windshield.
- Write inspirational messages and drop them in random places around town--stores, libraries, restaurants, schools. This works really well in books, magazines, or something people have to flip through.
- Give someone flowers just because (you can buy or pick your own!).
- Bring coffee or tea for a coworker.
- Do the "Here's $20 toward the next person in line" at the grocery store.
- Buy a lottery ticket for a stranger.
- Give a hug to someone who really needs it.
- Leave an unexpected tip to an exceedingly fabulous waiter or waitress.
- Buy a life changing book for a friend. *Cough..Brene Brown...*
- Donate blood.
- Send books and DVD's to soldiers overseas through Books For Soldiers.
- Donate unused airline miles to Make A Wish.
- Renew an old friendship by reaching out, sending a gift, or writing a heartfelt letter.
- Donate gently used clothing.
- Purchase extra back to school supplies (binder, pencils, notebooks, backpack, etc) and donate to a school or preschool.
- Take lunch to your local police department.
- Choose to forgive someone you've been angry with.
- Visit or volunteer at a nursing home. Take goodies, books and magazine to donate as well.
- Do something kind for the school in your district. Take them flowers, goodies, treats, anything to show them how much you appreciate all they do for kids.
- Write a letter to your child's teacher/principal/counselor or a teacher/principal/counselor you know going above and beyond and send it to him or her. It can be via e-mail, but let the person know you see what he or she is doing.
If you do one of these random acts of kindness, tell us about it in the comments below. We want to hear from you!