“It’s not our job to play judge and jury, to determine who is worthy of our kindness and who is not. We just need to be kind,
unconditionally and without ulterior motive, even — or rather, especially — when we’d prefer not to be.”
Josh Radnor
I think we can all agree that the world would benefit if we all showed a little more kindness, to ourselves, to our families, to our friends, and even the strangers we encounter every day. There is so much negativity in the world, the only way to counter it is through positivity. It doesn’t take a lot of effort, but it can make a world of difference. Here’s our 6 favourite ways to spread a little love!
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Random Acts of Kindness
One sure fire way to be a kinder person is to pay it forward. Sometimes it’s hard to remember that the people around us have their own very busy, complicated lives. Why not brighten someone’s day with a random act of kindness, like paying for the coffee of the person in line behind you or leaving an anonymous gift behind in a public place.
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Be Polite
You parent’s may have stressed the importance of manners, but to the cashier, waitress or even to the common civilian making their way around town, remembering to say please and thank you can mean the difference between you being “just another customer” to actually brightening their day!
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Remind People How Much You Care
It’s so easy to take those we love for granted. Sometimes we just assume that they knowwe care about them and they can read between the lines. In most cases this may be true, however, if your loved ones, family, friends or someone you know has been having a rough few days, why not let them know just how much you enjoy their company and their quirks! Then offer kindness for no reason at all.
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Plan A Special Day
This one can definitely tie in with the concept of “reminding people how much you care”. If just telling them isn’t enough, why not plan a fun surprise day where just you and your loved one hang out, treat yourselves and do things that they will appreciate. Maybe it’s a spa day at your favourite masseuse or a lavish day at the beach catching up on your tan – whatever it may be, just making time for those you love is important!
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Compliment
Giving people a genuine compliment can make their day! Someone we love we might take for granted occasionally, remember all the little things and say thanks! Good breeds more good right?! Focus on personality traits like “I love your tenacity” or “thank you for working hard every day!” rather than “great shirt!” – not to say your can’t compliment your mates outfit, just make sure that that’s not the only compliment you give!
When was the last time you received a compliment? It felt good, maybe even made you smile right? Go ahead and give that feeling away as often as you can think it and see what happens next.
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Involve the kids
Being kind is an important lesson that our children need to learn, and what better way to teach it than by example and involvement. My son still talks about the time we fed 2 homeless men hotdogs, chips and pop at the beach. The vendor knew exactly how they liked the hotdogs, and it was an experience for my child to not judge or be fearful of them while he asked which kind of chips and pop they would like. He delivered the goods and they were so grateful! He was maybe 10 years old at the time. It pumped us up with a feeling that lasts forever, and the old saying rings true “better to give than to receive”.