One of the random acts of kindness that I still remember from my middle school years was when one of the parents, Tennie McCarty, introduced me to 4-H. I was a school wallflower, but when I got involved in 4-H, I started to discover my strengths and interests. I developed confidence, leadership skills and even made a few friends.
When I reflect on those years, I wonder if I’d have done many of the things I’ve done, including starting the Secret Society of Happy People, without my 4-H experiences. All of that started because someone was kind and motivated enough to take action.
That’s the magic of kindness. One kind act can have a ripple effect that extends a lifetime.
[perfectpullquote align=”full” bordertop=”false” size=”24″]The smallest act of kindness is worth more than the grandest intention. ~ Oscar Wilde[/perfectpullquote]
Many people do small acts of kindness that may feel almost insignificant in the moment. However, can we really measure the true impact of an act of kindness?
Have you ever had a not-so-happy morning when someone — possibly a stranger — does something nice for you that makes you smile? Maybe they complimented the color of your shirt, or said something that made you laugh, or simply held the elevator door open for you.
That simple moment made your day better, it may have even inspired you to be kind to someone else, which, in turn, made them smile. That’s the wonderful thing about kindness — it can make two people smile and even motivate them to be kind to someone else because kind acts build upon each other.
Also, if you’re having a blue day, doing an act of kindness is one of the fastest ways to bust the blues.
[Tweet “Feeling blue? Doing an act of kindness is one of the fastest ways to bust the blues. #RAK”]
Kindness With The Expectation Of Nothing
While it’s easy to do acts of kindness for strangers and have no expectations, it might be harder to be kind to the people we love the most without any expectations. Deep down, we often expect them to acknowledge the kindness and perhaps repay it at some point in the future. However, that’s not how genuine kindness works. Even when it’s done for a friend or family member, kindness has to be something that we do with absolutely no expectations of anything in return.
Kindness is a gift from our heart that we share, and, our motivation for kindness simply needs to be giving for the sake of giving.
[perfectpullquote align=”full” bordertop=”false” size=”24″]Act with kindness but do not expect gratitude. ~ Confucius[/perfectpullquote]
Most acts of kindness happen when we see an opportunity to make someone’s day better. There are the obvious acts of kindness, like paying it forward when you buy the next person in line a meal or beverage, or smiling at someone who needs it, or simply listening. Sometimes acts of kindness are more personal, like when we bring ice cream to a heartbroken friend — then chow down with them, or we take someone flowers to brighten their day, or when we volunteer to help someone move.
Being kind can be as simple or elaborate as we’re inspired or have the resources to be. It just needs to be heartfelt, because that’s what creates a kindness ripple effect.
Random Acts of Kindness Week 2018
This year, Random Acts of Kindness Week is February 11 – 17. The Random Acts of Kindness organization is asking you to share a story about that one person who inspired you to be a better human being. We’d like to know who inspired you, too. For me, I’m blessed that Tennie was one of many people who helped me become a better person.
This week, the Secret Society of Happy People is challenging you to do a daily Random Act of Kindness, so that maybe you become that one person who inspires someone else to be a better human being. As always, we’d love to know what acts of kindness you did. Your RAK’s inspire others so they are worth sharing.
[Tweet “#RAK Challenge from The Secret Society of Happy People: Sprinkle Kindness Everywhere!”]
Let’s Sprinkle Kindness Everywhere – the world needs more of that – and maybe we do, too.
Written by Pamela Gail
Pamela Gail Johnson founded the Society of Happy People in 1998.
The Society is grounded on Pamela’s four key Practical Happiness Principles:
Pamela identified 31 Types of Happiness that are on the SOHP App Happiness Counter to make it easier to recognize moments of happiness.
Pamela also plans and organizes the Society of Happy People's annual happiness celebrations:
She's also a speaker, trainer, and author.
A few of her personal smile starters include her monthly book club, yoga, traveling and meeting new happy people.
I was struggling to maintain myself without a job due to poor health, without hope, with little energy. Refundable bottles which I collected from ditches and back alleys and then carried nearly two miles to the nearest bottle refund centre provided me with grocery money, and wild berries and weeds were part of my diet. Often I went hungry so that my toddler could eat. I wore clothing that I’d found in ditches and alleys. People I’d thought were my friends turned their backs on me. I felt ugly and unloved. Then an elderly gentleman whose name I never knew tipped his hat to me as if I was a Real Lady, a Human Being of Value. I’d see him once or twice a week and he always tipped his hat to me, a Gentleman greeting a Lady. That act of kindness still brings grateful tears to my eyes.
Great article … and the graphic is wonderful!
After having a ileostomy (because of colon cancer) I lived in dread of having an *accident* while out. Then a couple of years later I was in hospital again for a bowel obstruction and a lady in the same ward as me was having a bit of a problem… it seems the dreaded *accident* had happened to her and she had no clean clothes to go home in. She sent her husband home but he came back and said he couldn’t find any! At this stage I quietly approached her and offered my spare pair of long pants which I had with me, knowing how embarrassed she would be to have to walk thru the hospital in dirty clothes. I was nothing to me – they only cost $4! but I knew exactly what it meant to her…she was able to keep her dignity. And I always smile when I remember how I would have felt if it had been me.