Have you ever been the recipient of a random act of kindness?

What is a Random Act of Kindness? A random act of kindness occurs when someone helps someone else just because.

It can be a very simple act ? like someone letting you borrow his or her cell phone when you need to make an important call, or the act of a person who lets you cut in line because he or she has a full cart and you only have a few items. It’s unexpected, usually unplanned, and always done without expectation of receiving anything in return.

Committing Random Acts of Kindness A random act of kindness doesn’t take very much time, money or effort – just an awareness of the oppotunities we have each day as we work, shop, go to school or play. By paying attention to the little things, you can help others on a daily basis. Best of all, connecting with strangers in these small but meaningful ways helps us to recognize the beauty in humanity.

Examples of Random Acts of Kindness Here are some simple random acts of kindness to get you started. Let this list inspire you to do much more!

• Hold the door for someone
• Donate food to a soup kitchen
• Rake leaves at an elderly person’s home
• Tell a child a story
• Give a compliment
• Send a warm baby blanket or cuddly toy to a family crisis shelter
• Give money to the homeless
• Give someone change for a dollar or another bill
• Donate old books to the library
• Pay for the coffee of the person standing behind you in line
• Leave the waitress or waiter a big tip
• Tell someone important in your life how much he or she means to you
• Give someone a hug
• Plant a tree
• Adopt a pet from an animal shelter
• Spend time with residents of a nursing home
• Send a care package to a soldier overseas

~ Making Random Acts of Kindness a part of your life If you don’t have time to volunteer for large projects, consider making it a habit to commit random acts of kindness. Deciding to make one small gesture each day is a great place to start. You’ll find yourself looking for opportunities – soon one or two a day little things each day will become a way of life!

To help you with ideas, the Random Acts of Kindness Foundation sponsors a Random Acts of Kindness Week ? typically held every February. Planned random acts of kindness (and yes, that is an oxymoron, but for such a wonderful cause, we’ll let it go) – are held throughout the nation. Learn more by visiting their website.

The Results of Random Acts of Kindness You will be amazed at how many people you can touch with these small gestures. Your small kindness could change that person’s day and attitude, causing them to treat their family, friends, co-workers or even other strangers in a kinder, more loving way.

You never know what’s going on in someone’s life, or how your words and actions might affect them. By choosing to reach out with a kind act, the ripples from your thoughtful deed or gentle words could stretch out to affect entire communities. Isn’t that a wonderful thing to be a part of? Making Random Acts of Kindness a part of your life If you don’t have time to volunteer for large projects, consider making it a habit to commit random acts of kindness. Deciding to make one small gesture each day is a great place to start. You’ll find yourself looking for opportunities – soon one or two a day little things each day will become a way of life!

To help you with ideas, the Random Acts of Kindness Foundation sponsors a Random Acts of Kindness Week ? typically held every February. Planned random acts of kindness (and yes, that is an oxymoron, but for such a wonderful cause, we’ll let it go) – are held throughout the nation. Learn more by visiting their website.

The Results of Random Acts of Kindness You will be amazed at how many people you can touch with these small gestures. Your small kindness could change that person’s day and attitude, causing them to treat their family, friends, co-workers or even other strangers in a kinder, more loving way.

You never know what’s going on in someone’s life, or how your words and actions might affect them. By choosing to reach out with a kind act, the ripples from your thoughtful deed or gentle words could stretch out to affect entire communities. Isn’t that a wonderful thing to be a part of?