Sweet Kindness

You don't have to do big things to make a difference in the world, there are lots of little things you can do to help others and brighten their days.

Generous acts don't have to be large, complicated tasks; small acts of kindness can make a big difference to others as well. Simple, little things, like letting someone go ahead of you in line, helping an elderly person to their car, even leaving a small gift on someone's doorstep can make someone's day better, and as they are put into a better mood they are more likely to be happy and generous to others, which in the end makes the world a better place for everyone.

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Try doing one random act of kindness each day to make the world a better place.

Kindness is Contagious

Kindness isn't lessened by being shared.

Kindness grows each time it is shown to others.

Even a small gesture can make a big difference in someone's day. Anonymous acts of kindness are especially special. It's much better to be kind anonymously since it doesn't make the recipient feel like they have to reciprocate to you or make them feel like they owe you something. Thus they can share a kindness with someone else, creating a chain of kindness that may just spread across the world, and end up helping you just when you need it the most.

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Kindness or evil, you choose what you want to spread throughout the Earth.

*Know someone with a new little one? Prepare a few meals for their freezer, so they don't have to worry about cooking while trying to care for their baby.

* Send a card to someone just because.

* Know of something your friend really wants? Pick it up and leave it anonymously at their house.

* Be a good friend, that's the greatest kindness you can ever offer.

* At a party and someone is on the edge of the group and not taking part in the conversation? Open up the group and welcome them in by asking their opinion.

* When visiting someone's house bring something you know they'll like.

* Actually listen to people when they have something to say.

* Is your friend a parent? Offer to babysit once in a while so the parent or parents can go out or just relax for a bit.

* Pick up a small gift, wrap it, and leave it on someone's doorstep.

* Give someone a kindness jar: a jar filled with notes about all the things you like about them.

* If someone has a hard time walking, offer to take their trash out to the curb for them. It can be a difficult chore for them since they can't manage a walker and a trash can at the same time.

* Offer to take pictures of friends. So many people have profile pictures that are taken in mirrors or by stretching really far because they don't have anyone special to take a picture for them. You could even turn this into a picture party and have fun with it.

* On article sites, leave comments on people's articles, share them on social networks, or even just give them a thumbs up. We notice and appreciate it.

* My neighbor can barely walk, so I pull toadstools from her lawn when they sprout so that her dog doesn't get into them.

* Offer to hang Christmas lights for your elderly neighbor next door.

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Make tomorrow a better day, be kind to someone today.

Show Kindness to Animals

* Visit your local animal shelter to play with the animals and teach them tricks. Well-socialized animals are more likely to get adopted and make better pets, which means they are less likely to come back to the shelter.

* Feed your neighborhood birds.

* Plant plants that bees and birds like so they have food sources and places to live.

* Spot a stray? Stop and help it find it's way home or take it to the animal shelter so it doesn't get run over and killed.

* Many people look for pets on Craigslist and in the newspaper. Help your local shelter's animals get a better chance at getting a home by placing ads for some of the animals there telling about them and why each one is special and needs a home.

* Make toys for animal shelter animals. There are many ideas on my Homemade Dog Toys, Homemade Cat Toys, Homemade Cat Trees, and Homemade Rabbit Toys pages that are easy and your local shelter will appreciate.

* Volunteer at an animal rescue. There are often many things they need done. Cleaning cages, socializing animals, even getting the word out about them.

* Have a neighbor with an outside dog that doesn't have a dog house? Take pity on the poor puppy by Building a Dog House and then giving it to the neighbor so the dog has somewhere to live.

* Use as little pesticides as you possibly can. Pesticides don't just kill bad insects, they often harm beneficial insects and some can even kill some of our precious bees. Try to use manual removal methods, less harmful pesticides, or planting resistant varieties to keep from being overrun. Remember, organic is healthier for your garden, the world, your family, and you.

* Have a neighbor who can't get around well but has a dog? Offer to walk the dog occasionally. Many dogs appreciate getting out and about even if their owners no longer can manage it.

* Give dog or cat food to homeless people with pets. That may be their only friend in the world, and the animal shouldn't have to suffer if someone's luck has turned south.

* Donate pet food to places that hand out food to the homeless.

* See someone who can't afford to get their pets fixed? Offer to pay the bill. It'll help prevent more litters of unwanted animals and in the end will save lives.

* Some shelters allow volunteers to take shelter dogs hiking with them. It's a great way to get them out of their cage and let them get to experience life.

* Don't throw old but still good blankets, the animal shelter can use them in the kennels to make them a little cozier.

* Don't breed or buy animals, save a life instead by getting one from a rescue or shelter.

* Let someone ahead of you in line. Spending another few minutes in line is a small price to pay for making someone happy.

* Going through a toll booth? Pay the toll for the person behind you as well as your own.

* Feed a parking meter for someone else (check your local laws, in some areas they have made this illegal to do)

* Clear snow off someone's sidewalk.

* Mow your neighbor's lawn while mowing your own.

* Pay for someone else's gas, give the cashier an extra $20 to be put toward the groceries of the person behind you, or donate toward a charity.

* Someone broken down or stuck in the snow? Don't just pass by, stop and help them.

* See a couple posing for each other to take a picture at a tourist spot? Offer to snap a picture with their camera of the two of them together.

* When you're standing in line and kids near you are acting up because they're bored, distract them. Tell them a (clean) joke, get them to try to figure out a riddle, or even just have a conversation with them.

* If you're a member of Flickr or an online forum, pay to upgrade someone's account.

* See someone walking along the side of the road with a gas can? Give them a ride to the gas station and back to their vehicle.

* See someone broken down on the side of the road? Stop and see if they need help. Even if you don't know much about vehicles, in some areas there is no cell service and they may need someone called for them.

* Anytime you see someone having a difficult time offer to help them. Whether it's an older lady trying to get a heavy item out of the bottom of her shopping cart, a short person trying to reach items off the top shelf, or an elderly man trying to cross the road, there are people every day that we pass and barely notice, yet they need help.

* If you are at a lecture and there's a question and answer section afterwards, ask at least one question. It's very difficult for most people to talk in front of other people, and waiting for questions can be the hardest part, especially when no one asks any and the entire audience sits there and just stares at the lecturer. Plus you may just ask the question everyone else in the audience really wants to know, but is afraid to ask.

* Smile at everyone, smiles are contagious :-)

* Pay off someone's layaway item.

* As you're leaving a restaurant, pay for someone else's meal too.

* Give an extra large tip to an especially good waitress or waiter.

* Hand out cups of hot cocoa to strangers.

* Give a scarf and mitten set to someone who looks cold.

* Bring teddy bears to your local ER and hand them out to kids that are afraid, or even adults. Everyone is comforted by a teddy bear.

* Give a big tip to the guys who play Santa Claus at the mall, they're spending long hours making kids happy, make them happy too.

* If someone comes up and wants to wash your windows or something, let them or at least not be rude about it. At least they're trying to better their situation.

* Donate to street musicians. They make music for us all to enjoy, reward them for that.

* Attend your local small theater's plays. It's wonderful to see someone in the audience, and most of these places don't even break even.

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Love and kindness come back to you each time you give them to someone else.

*Buy a bouquet of flowers and give a blossom to each person you pass.

*Plant flowers in your front yard so people walking by can enjoy the sight of them.

*Take a flower bouquet to an old folks home and give them to the nurse to give to one of the people there that would appreciate them.

*Make a funny snowman alongside the sidewalk, then put a sign in his arms telling people to smile. I bet most passerby will be unable to resist :)

*Do some Guerrilla Gardening in an empty and forgotten lot of a dark and dreary corner.

*Practice Guerrilla Knitting. Also known as yarn bombing, yarnbombing, graffiti knitting, or yarnstorming, guerrilla knitting is an up and coming decorative design, usually done under cover of darkness. Use your leftover yarn to beautify a lamppost, tree trunk, or other fixture. It's best to do this in your own yard, since in some areas it is considered graffiti. This fun and creative act is covering the world, there's even a park near me with some knit-covered tree trunks and it really does add a spot of brightness. It always makes me smile whenever I walk by.