This week is Random Acts of Kindness Week. Find out what you can do to brighten a stranger’s day.
Started by the Random Acts of Kindness Foundation, Random Acts of Kindness Week was established to further their aim of making kindness the norm. The goal is to do small things to brighten someone’s day throughout the week. If you can’t commit to the whole week, there is also Random Acts of Kindness Day on Thursday, February 17th.
Want to make someone’s day this week? Here are some of the ways you can take part:
Pay it forward
Why not let someone have a treat on you? Originating in coffee shops, this act of kindness has become a popular way to brighten someone’s day. Next time you pop in for a hot drink, all you have to do is leave a bit of extra money behind the counter for the next customer. For someone strapped for cash but in need of a caffeinated pick-me-up, this could be the jolt of energy they need to push through.
Another way to look at the concept is to pay forward the kindness you receive. For every nice thing someone does for you, do a favour for someone else. This is a great way of putting kindness into the world.
Lend a hand
If you see someone struggling with their shopping, offer to give them a hand. See someone struggling at a crossing? Help to escort them across the road. There are many examples of ways you can physically help people, provided you have the capacity. Save the day for somebody.
Reconnect with friends and family
Sometimes life gets in the way of our relationships. Occasionally, friends have to cancel plans and your daily life means you sometimes forget to talk to family members. Take a moment this week to catch up with the people close to you. It could be a full-blown catch-up or a simple “hi, how have you been”. Show them that you haven’t forgotten them.
Compliment someone
You interact with loads of people on any given day. One brief moment of conversation could make a retail worker or bus driver’s day. Be a nice customer after a day of dealing with people who aren’t so nice. It goes without saying that we should always be pleasant to interact with, but a respectful compliment goes a long way.
Compliments are respectful when they relate to something the person does. Great starting places are things like hair, make-up, clothes, and style choices. Complimenting their personality or intelligence is also fair game.
Make a difference
You could donate a small amount to charity. Offload your spare change into a donation pot and encourage your housemates to do the same. Most charities make it easy enough to send them a one-off payment. There’s definitely a charity close to your heart that has an easy online donation system. Small amounts might not seem worth it, but they add up.
If you have time and energy to give this week, why not volunteer? A charity shop may be in need of someone to sort through donations, or a local nonprofit might be holding an event they need marshalls for. Keep an eye out for newsletters or social media posts that may have info on how to take part. If in doubt, reach out!
Has an act of kindness ever left you stunned? Join our student panel, and share your opinions. You’ll receive 1000 points for signing up, equivalent to £10 in Amazon vouchers.
