Random Acts of Kindness-Spreading the JOY

This tag says: Experiments in Anonymous Kindness is the name of the game and now "You're it"!

With the continuing theme of spreading JOY to the world around us, I am challenging myself and you to reach out and bless others! The acts do not have to be anonymous. I'm going to do both!

I found this non-profit organization called Helping Others with the same goal! The smiley face above is one of their smiley cards that you can download for free and leave with your random acts receivers to encourage them to spread the joy, too!

Last night I was in WalMart and went to get a bag for produce. This 30 something lady, very obviously in a hurry, got to the bags a split second after me, but was waiting anxiously for me to get my bag and be gone so she could get hers. I tore one off and gave it to her. I wish you could have seen the look on her face. She said thank you with a huge smile and as I walked away she said "thanks again very much". All I did was give her a bag first!

These acts of kindness most often don't even require that we spend money! So none of us really have any good reason to not do them at least occasionally.

Lois shared with me last week that she let someone in ahead of her in line at the store. These types of things make our days when they happen to us, so let's commit to doing one at least once a week for this year.

Here are some ideas and more can be found at Helping Others. Some involve a moderate expense and those can be done less often.

Within your family is a good place to start:

-an unexpected neck, body, or foot rub for your hubby
-make hubby's favorite dessert or meal as a surprise
-use dry erase markers to leave your child (or other family member) a loving message on the bathroom mirror
-enclose a loving message in your child's lunchbox (I used to decorate their napkins with crayola markers. They and their friends loved it!)
-surprise a family member with $10 gift card to favorite restaurant or coffee shop or take them there on the spur of the moment

Neighbors
-slip a fresh flower into their newspaper
-leave fresh flowers on their doorstep
-bake extra brownies and take them some
-rake their leaves while they're gone
-elderly-take newspaper to doorstep
-shovel snow for them
-bring them a seasonal plant
-invite them along for holiday events
-take a few minutes to just visit

Strangers
-pay the toll for the person behind you
-pay for food for person behind you (fast food)
-thank men/women in uniform for their service to our country
-take local police officers brownies
-leave special note for mailman, or candy with a note
-let someone in while in traffic
-give up the best parking space to the person after you
-give a compliment!! We can almost always find something to compliment if we look for it!

Please visit this site and let's commit to spreading more than our share of joy this year!

Can't wait to hear what you're doing!!
Blessings,
Becky