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Spread Kindness and Love

There are many ways to spread kindness and love. Today we are going to focus on kind and loving actions.

Thousands of candles can be lighted from a single candle. Happiness never decreases by being shared. ~Buddha

Do one Kind Thing for Someone Else Today.

Yesterday we worked on being grateful. Today we turn to spreading kindness.

You don’t have to get crazy with this one. Just practice one small act of kindness today. Below I’ve listed a few ideas that you can go out and do now. We’ll discuss long-term kindness further below.

Here are some kind things you can do now:

Take items to a food bank.
Take diapers or unused makeup to a women’s shelter.
Leave a large tip for your server.
Clean up trash at a park.
Mow your neighbor’s lawn.
Message an old teacher on Facebook and tell them how much their help meant to you.
Buy the person’s coffee that’s in line behind you.
Babysit for free.
Donate something of value to a charity-run thrift store.
Give fresh vegetables to a family in need.
Put money in an expired meter.
Take packages of new underwear and socks to a homeless shelter.
Pay the highway toll for the person behind you.
Buy someone a bus/subway pass.
Hold the door open for someone.
Say “thank you” often.
Smile – it’s contagious.

This is just me brainstorming ideas. If you set out in the morning to do something kind for someone, an opportunity will arise to spread love and kindness.

Spreading Kindness and Love Makes You Happy

It feels good to spread love. When we spread love, it comes back to us in abundance. When we spread negativity, guess what? It comes back to us in abundance too. Which one do you choose?

Research

The 2010 Do Good Live Well Survey questioned 4,500 American adults. Of those adults, forty-one percent volunteered an average of 100 hours a year.

Among those adults that volunteered, 68 percent said that it made them feel physically healthier. 89 percent reported an increased sense of well-being. 73 percent recounted a lowered stress level.

Another study by sociologists Christian Smith and Hilary Davidson presented in the book The Paradox of Generosity, explained the findings of the Science of Generosity Initiative at Notre Dame. The study surveyed 2,000 people, 40 families, over a five-year period. Participants came from different races, economic status, and 12 different states.

The findings were astonishing. Families that donated more than 10 percent of their incomes experienced less or no depression. The benefits of spreading love and kindness didn’t just coincide with giving money. The 48 percent of families that are emotionally available and giving in their relationships experienced better overall health than other less emotionally giving families.

Next Step

Your challenge for today is to do something nice for someone else. Hopefully, once you know how positive it feels to do something good, you will continue to practice acts of kindness everyday.

To make a more permanent change, decide on a kind act you will do monthly.

Here are some long-term ideas:

Volunteer your time. You can find opportunities at Volunteer Match.
Donate money to a charity on a monthly or yearly basis.
Join Big Brothers, Big Sisters of America.
Share your knowledge by teaching a class at your local library.
Increase your tithe by a percentage point or two.
Connect with an elderly person. Cook them food, mow their lawn, or clean their home on a monthly basis.
Volunteer as a mentor at a low-income school.
Start a community garden and give the veggies to a food bank.
Organize a park clean-up day.
Join your local public television or radio station.
Be a more courteous driver.
Take a troubled youth under your wing.
Organize a car-pool.
Get involved with your school board or PTA, even if you don’t have kids.
Donate or volunteer at an animal shelter.
Just BE KIND.