When I was in College at the University of Arkansas I did a speech on "Random Acts of Kindness" in one of my communications classes. I began the speech by handing out roses to the other students in the class. It sort of took them all by shock but it put a smile on their face and got their attention... I have always enjoyed making others happy. One of my favorite quotes is "Be the change you wish to see in the world" - Mahatma Gandhi
Defined by Wikipedia: A random act of kindness is a selfless act performed by a person or persons wishing to either assist or cheer up an individual or in some cases an animal. There will generally be no reason other than to make people smile, or be happier. Either spontaneous or planned in advance, random acts of kindness are encouraged by various communities. An oft-cited example of a random act of kindness is, when paying the toll at a toll booth on a highway, to pay the toll for the vehicle behind you as well... (Defined by Wikipedia -click here to go to their site on Random Acts of Kindness)
Have you ever been having a bad day then... out of the blue someone does something that lifts your spirits? I feel that those who give will receive... Try it! Everyone reading this post - in the next 24 hours I ask of you to do something kind for another (it can be a complete stranger or your best friend). It sounds simple IT IS!!! I really love to do nice things for strangers because you just never know what is going on in their world and how the most simple thing could change their day or even their life. You just never know... If you can not think of anything nice to do here are a few of my favorite "Random Acts of Kindness":
- Smile at someone (especially if they seem unhappy)
- Hold open a door for someone
- Pay for someone else's coffee at a drive-through (this works well for Realtors, too... I do this sometimes and ask the person at the window to give them my business card and tell them to have a nice day)
- Pay for someones toll at a toll-booth
- When you are in your car let someone "out in front of you" that needs out... (don't you love when that happens to you!)
- Give someone a flower
- Handwrite and give someone a "thank you" or a "Just because" or a "Thinking of you card"
- Pick up litter
- Give up your seat to someone
- Buy a balloon bouquet and drop off at a hospital and ask the nurse to deliver to the sick children
- Take flowers by a nursing home
- Donate to a non-profit
- Become active in a program like Boys and Girls club
- Leave an extra "tip" for the waiter or waitress (even if you feel their service was poor - you don't know what is going on in their life - this might make the difference!)
- Tell someone you love them (someone you love hopefully :)
- Think about those who have inspired you, taught you something, or that you look up to... Let them know they are appreciated
I could go on and on... Please share ideas here on ways to spread Random Acts of Kindness. It is such a wonderful thing to do and so simple.
I would like to share something with you that happened to me the other day. I had a local Realtor here in my area call me out of the blue just to tell me that he thought that I was "the best Realtor in Northwest Arkansas"... He said that he just loved the way that I marketed to the other Realtors and that I market each property the same if it was $100,000 or over $1,000,000. He has been in Real Estate for a really long time and is very respected and a wonderful Realtor. He was not trying to recruit me or anything - just wanted to let me know that he thought very highly of me... WELL - that was a "Random Act of Kindness" that truly put a smile on my face. People like to be appreciated. Do you have any stories like this? Let's change this world... One smile at a time!
Visit the Random Acts of Kindness Foundation's website
Dreamweavers - Random Acts of Kindness Non-Profit Organization (Dreamweavers Mission Statement: "It is our mission to bring moments of happiness and hope to individuals by fulfilling a wish or need they cannot afford, to do so anonymously, and to encourage a 'pay it forward' effect that will leverage the efforts of a few into the smiles of many.")
"The level of our success is limited only by our imagination and no act of kindness, however small, is ever wasted." - Aesop
"One kind word can warm three winter months" - Japanese proverb
"Kindness is an inner desire that makes us want to do good things even if we do not get anything in return. It is the joy of our life to do them. When we do good things from this inner desire, there is kindness in everything we think, say, want and do" - Emanuel Swedenborg
"Let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier. Be the living expression of God's kindness: kindness in your face, kindness in your eyes, kindness in your smile" - Mother Teresa
"My religion is very simple. My religion is kindness." - Dalai Lama
"Be generous. Give to those you love; give to those who love you, give to the fortunate, give to the unfortunate- yes, give especially to those you don't want to give. You will receive abundance for you giving. The more you give, the more will have!" - W Clement Stone
"The man who will use his skill and constructive imagination to see how much he can give for a dollar, instead of how little he can give for a dollar, is bound to succeed." - Henry Ford.
