101 Simple Acts of Kindness Ideas
“Let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier. Be the living expression of God’s kindness: kindness in your face, kindness in your eyes, kindness in your smile.” – Mother Teresa
We often feel too small and insignificant to make a change in the world. And it’s true, none of us can do great things alone. But there are many little things each of us can do that can make a big difference. Being kind to others is one of the best things we can do to make a difference in the lives of our friends, family, neighbors, and others in our communities.
If you’re wondering what you can do to start making a difference in the world, here is a list of 101 simple ideas for random acts of kindness:
1. Smile. At everyone and everything.
2. Say Hello to someone.
3. Tell someone you love them.
4. Give someone a hug.
5. Let someone go ahead of you while waiting in line.
6. Send flowers to a friend unexpectedly.
7. Buy coffee for a stranger at the coffee shop.
8. Hold the door for someone.
9. Give someone a compliment.
10. Write a thank you note to a company where you recently received excellent service.
11. Give your seat to someone else.
12. Genuinely listen to someone.
13. Pick up trash.
14. Donate books to the library.
15. Visit a nursing home.
16. Cook dinner for someone.
17. Use eco-friendly products.
18. Get a Pen Pal.
19. Be the designated driver.
20. Donate food to the food bank.
21. Forgive someone.
22. Introduce yourself to someone new.
23. Help someone unload their groceries.
24. Give someone a back rub.
25. Offer someone a piece of gum.
26. Share an inspirational quote.
27. Let someone merge in front of you in traffic.
28. Leave a post-it with an encouraging message in a public space.
29. Help someone clean their house.
30. Hang a bird feeder.
31. Offer to babysit someone’s children.
32. Donate clothes you no longer wear.
33. Post something on Freecycle.
34. Leave quarters at the laundromat.
35. Say Bless You when someone sneezes.
36. Use reusable shopping bags.
37. Email someone a short note to brighten up their day.
38. Send out holiday cards.
39. Bring a treat to work for your other coworkers.
40. Take the pledge to not text and drive.
41. Leave a positive comment on a blog.
42. Save your cereal box tops for Box Tops for Education.
43. Recycle Plastics and Metals.
44. Follow charities and local businesses you support on Twitter/Facebook.
45. Visit Stumble Upon and stumble across new websites.
46. Donate $1 at the checkout line.
47. Attend a charity event or dinner.
48. Hold someone’s hand.
49. Read a story to a child.
50. Donate to your local EMS & fire station.
51. Light a candle for someone at church.
52. Help a student with his or her homework.
53. Pass out water bottles in your neighborhood on a hot day.
54. Give money to a street performer.
55. Search online using GoodSearch to donate a penny for each search you perform.
56. Help someone find a lost object.
57. Do the dishes for someone, especially after a big meal.
58. Make someone laugh.
59. Help someone find a job or write their résumé.
60. Donate to an Animal Shelter.
61. Adopt a Soldier.
62. Carry something heavy for someone.
63. Donate your old cell phone.
64. Pay for someone ahead of you at the drive thru.
65. Send flowers to the nurses at your local hospital.
66. Save your unused coupons from the mail and grocery store for someone who will use them.
67. Leave a copy of an inspirational book with a message on the bus or a park bench.
68. Send someone a funny ecard.
69. Leave change near a vending machine or pay phone.
70. Buy fair trade and organic food items.
71. Buy gifts for your family and friends from local artists and businesses.
72. Support a local band.
73. Drive slowly in neighborhoods and areas where there are pedestrians.
74. Shovel snow for your neighbors.
75. Offer to share your umbrella with someone on a rainy day.
76. Offer to take a photo for the person standing behind the camera photographing family and friends.
77. Contribute your knowledge to Wikipedia.
78. Donate $1 to your favorite website.
79. Plant a garden.
80. Give a meal to a homeless person.
81. Drive someone without a car to a place they need to go.
82. Hail a cab and give it to someone else.
83. Apologize to someone for something you did.
84. Give your sweater/jacket to someone who is cold.
85. Attend a book fair.
86. Mail a letter to someone.
87. Support fundraisers (Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, School Groups, Churches, etc.).
88. Spend some time on a forum answering questions or providing encouragement to others.
89. Say thank you again and again to anyone who helps you.
90. Walk/Run in a 5k for a charity.
91. Attend a support group meeting with a friend.
92. Leave flowers on the windshield of someone’s car in the parking lot.
93. Bring a sick friend some chicken noodle soup.
94. Be a mentor to someone.
95. Tell someone to have a great day.
96. Take a customer service survey after a phone call/online chat and say something positive about the person who helped you.
97. Fund a project at Kickstarter.
98. Thank a custodian/janitor.
99. Hold the elevator for someone.
100. Bake someone cookies.
101. Offer to take someone’s shopping cart back to the store.
What ideas do you have for spreading kindness to others? What acts of kindness have you done or had done to you? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.
