Scottish writer JM Barrie (creator of Peter Pan) wrote, “Shall we make a new rule of life from tonight: always to try to be a little kinder than is necessary?”
Kindness is one of the most underrated qualities in the world and one that we’ve never needed more. Social media feeds, newspapers, and TVs are filled with stories of chaos, division, and bitterness. Good news doesn’t sell – at least, it doesn’t feel like it. And yet, we all long for a better way. We have a sense that this isn’t the way things are meant to be.
It can feel hard to fight back against the negativity. What can one person do?
Well, maybe you can’t transform the entire world, but you can make a positive dent in your world. Small, consistent acts of kindness can be infectious. They change you and encourage others, not just the person you’re blessing.
With that in mind, here are five simple acts of kindness you can do, every day, to transform your world:
1. Give up your seat.
If you’re using public transportation, it can be tempting to grab any open seat and avoid eye contact every time it stops so that you aren’t obliged to give up your spot. Fight the temptation and be the first to offer when someone else needs a seat.
2. Open the doors.
Make an effort to hold the door open, not just for yourself or your group. Grab it for a stranger too.
3. Donate to a cause.
Maybe you won’t do this every day, but donating to a worthy cause makes a really big impact.
4. Go above and beyond.
You probably have an allocation of chores/responsibilities/tasks to do. Whether you’re a parent, roommate, or spouse, there’s a chance you split the tasks that need to be done. You take out the trash, he does the cooking. Well, maybe this week, do more than your “fair share”. Go above and beyond.
5. Let someone else have the primo parking space.
This one is so unusual that it’s guaranteed to make someone’s day. In the race for a parking space, let someone else have it instead. Go on, why not?