As soon as Halloween has come and gone, we start gearing up for Thanksgiving: a time to sip on your morning coffee while watching the parade on TV. It’s a time to get together with family for a big turkey dinner and to finally sit at the table hand-in-hand giving thanks. But there’s another day to celebrate in-between that might go unnoticed if not for the internet. Since 1998, National World Kindness Day has been observed on every November the 13th to remind each other that we have reason to give thanks. Spreading small acts of kindness to others, and even ourselves, is the glue that keeps our humanity together and should be celebrated with as much regard as Thanksgiving, Christmas or the New Year. Payday loans may offer financial relief when times get tough, but spreading kindness offers a different kind of relief that satisfies something deeper within us. See how showing others kindness can make any other problem or financial emergency seem small by comparison.
Never underestimate the power of words. Saying something nice to someone is a powerful tool we have in our kindness arsenal. Even paying someone a small compliment about their hair is enough to make their entire day. Here are a few things you could say to help brighten someone’s day:
Of course, some of these things might come off weird to a complete stranger, so choose your words wisely, and have fun making someone’s day!
Gift-giving is a small way of letting someone know you care. It doesn’t have to be expensive and it doesn’t have to be too thought out. For example, a $5 coffee mug would make someone’s day. Feel free to use any of these small gift ideas that under $10:
Who doesn’t want a hug? Okay, maybe not to a complete stranger, but what about a family member or a friend? When was the last time you gave someone you genuinely cared about a hug? Hugs say all the kind things you want to say in one simple motion. It’s easy, it takes a second and it feels good. Next time you see a friend or relative today, give that person a big hug and see what happens!
Acts of kindness don’t always have to be so direct. If you’re the shy type, consider donating as a way of showing kindness. Whether it’s to a local charity, a church, or blood drive, donating is another powerful act of kindness you can do. It may be a small act of kindness. It may even go unnoticed. But it can make all the difference in the world.
Lastly, if you have any spare time, use it to volunteer at a church, the Salvation Army, Habitat for Humanity, the Humane Society or the Boys & Girls Club. Taking the time out of your day to help someone who needs you is an act of kindness that will stretch for miles and miles. You don’t have to spend any money. You don’t have to buy any gifts. Simply donating your time by volunteering somewhere is enough to pay the kindness forward this World Kindness Day.