Happy “Random Acts of Kindness” week! In response to Ann Curry’s challenge after the Newtown, CT tragedy and Toddler Approved‘s kindness challenge, I have done 100 kindnesses in the past month or two. Please come back on Friday to see Part 2 and to find out what I’ve learned from this challenge. You can read my other posts on kindness here.
1. My daughter and I visited with my grandparents to cheer up their week.
2. My daughter handed out shiny pennies at our mall’s fountain for anyone to make a wish.
3. I helped organize the “Friendship Day” in my daughter’s preschool classroom.
4. We made chocolate cookies for our mailman over the holidays to thank him for his work day in and day out.
5. We took a bouquet of flowers to our next door neighbor and completely surprised her!
6. I smiled at a complete stranger.
7. I spent some time going through some free click sites to help various causes… you can too!
8. We handed out flowers to strangers at our zoo.
9. I put magazines back on the newsstands after reading them in a bookstore; a staff person thanked me for doing that.
10. Bought bulk snacks and packaged them to be able to hand them out from our car when we see someone hungry.
11. We stopped in order to let a handicapped couple cross in front of our car on a particularly cold day.
12. We made and delivered holiday cards for cancer patients.
13. Sent a thank you e-mail to someone who gave me a compliment that was particularly flattering and complimentary.
14. Smiled and told the woman walking very slowly from the library that there was “no rush; take your time.”
15. We gave $1 donation to the Food Bank in the grocery store checkout line. My daughter likes to tear these coupons off. 🙂
16. Waved and smiled at the school crossing guard.
17. Sent some Valentine’s Day books and toys to a friend whose young son is undergoing treatment for a rare cancer.
18. Sent a hang-in-there card to a friend.
19. Saw a large truck having trouble merging into traffic on the highway so I slowed down to let him in.
20. Sent some happy mail to friends.
21. I called the son of the previous (and deceased) owner of our home when an important letter came for her.
22. I sent an Amazon gift card to my friend (see above) so they could have some household items delivered and save a trip to the store.
23. We taped a $1 bill to a vending machine to surprise the next customer.
24. I bought a can of food at the grocery store and we dropped it in the food donation bin on our way out.
25. I made a point to thank the teacher at a recent painting class.
26. I saw a family at the zoo trying to take a photo of themselves so I offered to take it for them.
27. We made and hung birdfeeders at our house as a kindness to the environment.
28. I paid for the order of the woman behind me in a drive-through lane.
29. I bought a Freeset bag made by a woman in Calcutta to help keep her free.
30. Then I gave it away.
31. After realizing that a store bathroom stall was out of TP and going into another, my daughter and I heard someone come in and go into that stall, so we proactively asked her if she needed us to hand her some TP under the door. She was so grateful!
32. Knowing our older neighbor had been sick, I wheeled her trash can up her driveway for her after trash pickup.
33. After reading this Martha Beck article, I un-enrolled in a class and boy did I feel relieved.
34. Donated change at coin machine to charity.
35. Rang the bell.
36. I gave a few extra minutes to our two kitties, petting them and talking to them.
37. Have been giving authentic, feel-good compliments on a new haircut, someone’s weight loss, a new outfit, etc.
38. We bought toiletries and made bags for area homeless.
39. Who says kindness is only for others? I directed it inward and let myself rest.
40. Made homemade Valentine’s Day cards for my daughter’s classmates.
41. Sent a nice note to the teacher after a particular class helped me make some needed changes in my life.
42. We sent handmade scarves and soap to our area women’s shelter.
43. Sent cheery note to a friend who I met through another friend saying, basically, “nice to meet you.”
44. Tossed a neighbor’s newspaper to her door on a walk around the neighborhood.
45. Collected Box Tops for Education for my daughter’s school.
46. Waved and smiled when someone let me merge in front of them on the road.
47. Have been leaving words of love, encouragement, and appreciation in blog comment sections.
48. Tossed a neighbor’s newspaper up to her door.
49. Donated a pair of shoes and some outgrown clothes to someone who can use them.
50. I take several opportunities a day to connect with my daughter.
Please come back on Friday for the second half of this list! You can read my other posts on kindness here.
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