We can all benefit from practising daily acts of kindness, regardless of our age or situation in life. With all that is going on around us now, we need to go the extra mile to be kind to people around us.
These days I make it a point of duty to smile and say hello to people I come across. No act of kindness is too small or insignificant. You can make the world a little bit brighter for someone else by showing kindness in little ways. [Click to tweet]
There are so many small gestures we can make for people, especially strangers, that will make them feel good and won’t cost us anything. Let us consider some examples.
- Practise smiling to at least one person every day. Occasionally, you will meet that person who will never smile, no matter what you do. Nevertheless, you will realise at the end of the day that most people have returned your smile.
- Most people are happy when you say kind words to them or compliment them on their appearance. You can make their day by saying something like, “l love your shoes” or “Your hairstyle is beautiful”.
- Try holding the door open for someone even if they are not right behind you.
- Give a hug to someone who looks like they could use one. (Be careful because of COVID).
- Even though we all want to get home in time after closing from work, you can still be kind by letting someone merge in front of you in traffic.
- Encourage someone who is going through a tough time.
- Do a favour without asking for anything in return.
- Instead of posting negativity online, share some encouragement.
- Take time to listen to someone without trying to interject them.
- Be kind to your staff. Make a deliberate effort to make eye contact with the person serving you and tell them, “Thank you”.
- Share your favourite Bible verses or quotes to inspire someone or give them hope.
- And lastly, don’t forget to smile and be kind to yourself.
When we show kindness to others, we give them a sense of comfort and care, while also releasing endorphins and oxytocin, two hormones linked to happiness and well-being. Therefore, being kind to others can have a big positive impact on our own mental and emotional well-being. A little act of kindness can indeed make a lot of difference.
