10 Ways to Make Someone’s Day for Random Acts of Kindness Day

Acts of Kindness have become one of the most rapidly-growing trends in recent years, much to the surprise and delight of most people. Random Acts of Kindness Month is all of February, an excuse to jump-start your niceness!

The Random Acts of Kindness Foundation was founded in the 1990s in California to put an emphasis on individuals performing—you guessed it—random acts of kindness for one another. The nonprofit teaches and supports ways in which to treat others with kindness and supports a basic framework for everything they do. Inspire. Empower. Act. Reflect/ Share.

‘The Kindness Experience’ is extremely simple. First, pick two kindness ideas and write them on separate pieces of paper. Put them in a container and select one. Perform that act of kindness. And share how it went to encourage others!

There are even scientifically-proven benefits to being kind. It’s not only contagious and teachable, it physically makes you feel better. Practicing kindness has also been known to minimize anxiety and depression. 

Waltonwood Senior Living practices kindness all year and is hosting a Random Acts of Kindness Challenge, encouraging all residents, associates, family and friends to take the challenge. The goal is for the entire Waltonwood community to contribute 2,023 random acts of kindness during the month of February. All Waltonwood communities are encouraged to participate by spreading kindness around our communities and towns. Kindness is free—let’s sprinkle the stuff everywhere! After all, these acts don’t just benefit Waltonwood communities, but kindness impacts the greater community at large as well.

Here are suggestions to be kind at any age:

1. Smile at, or say hello, to someone you don’t know.
2. Compliment someone when they least expect it.
3. Hold the door open for a stranger, and don’t expect a “thank you.”
4. Shovel snow or rake the leaves of a neighbor in need. Can’t do it yourself? Pay the neighbor kid $10 to shovel someone else’s driveway, too!
5. Volunteer your time.
6. Help out a neighbor or relative with their groceries or household chores. If you can’t do that, let someone go in front of you in line at a store.
7. Call or text a friend just to say something nice about them. Or, send them a beautiful card.
8. Donate blood or quality canned food.
9. Bake something for a neighbor whom you know is very busy - such as a single parent or senior citizen!
10.  Tell a coworker, caregiver, or grocery store cashier they are doing a great job.

Remember, a kind gesture goes a long way in making someone’s day and should be something we do EVERY DAY and not just in February during Random Acts of Kindness Month. What kind act(s) will you do today?