In honour of today (17th Feb) being Random Acts of Kindness Day, I have written a blog post outlining 15 simple random acts of kindness to inspire you.
Obviously I’m not saying to try and tick all of them off the list, but if there are some that appeal to you, why not try and do a couple of them this week, this month or this year.
Hope you enjoy!
1. Compliment a stranger – I know, this one sounds a bit weird, but it doesn’t have to be. What I’m talking about here is maybe seeing a Mum at the school gates or someone in a shop and just saying I love your earrings or your hat is fab. Knowing Irish people and their inability to take a compliment, I’m pretty sure the response will be “Oh it’s only Penney’s” but nonetheless, it’s a lovely, simple random act of kindness.
2. Bring old glasses to your local opticians for recycling – Not many people know this, but most opticians are signed up to schemes to send old pairs of glasses to third world countries where the frames can be reused. I have 2 daughters that have both worn glasses since they were 1 so we have a lot of old glasses around the house, so if you are the same, why not do some good with them and donate them.
3. Consider volunteering to be a mentor – https://www.mentorher.global/ run a fantastic program where women mentor women. This was founded by an Irish lady during the pandemic and is going from strength to strength. All the mentors are volunteers. If you have the time/expertise, this is a fantastic way to help other women out on their career journeys. The program covers all areas from Self-Development to Career Ladder to Running a Business, so no matter what your background or career path to date, you can be matched with someone who will benefit from your particular skillset.
4. Give someone your pre-paid parking ticket if there’s time left on it – this one is a no brainer but something we can often forget to do in the rush to get to the next place. Just being saved from fishing for coins and trying to find the closest parking meter will really brighten someone’s day.
5. Send a card or a letter to someone for no other reason than to tell them how great they are – and we have the perfect cards for that here https://wrappedinkindness.ie/brands/pickled-pom-pom/ It’s so lovely to get a card in the post and know someone went to the effort of writing and sending it to you.
6. Comment on, like and share the small businesses you love on Instagram – this only takes a couple of seconds, but can really help to spread the word about small businesses you love and make a big difference to them and it costs nothing.
7. Pick up rubbish – when you are out for a walk on a beach or in a park or forest, pick up any rubbish you see as you walk. It shouldn’t have to be done, but if you’re passing it, why not just pick it up and save an animal eating it or getting caught in it.
8. Let a car pull out in front of you – again when people are rushing to get from A to B, often there can be quite a dog eat dog attitude on the roads, so why not let a car (or 2!) pull out in front of you every now and again. It’s not going to slow you down your day too much and will brighten someone’s day.
9. Draw a bath for someone you love – So I’m not talking about children’s baths in this one, but instead for your partner. It’s a lot easier to get into a bath when someone else has already gotten it ready for you (including let’s be honest, cleaning it from the last time it was used if needs be). It’s also something people would like to do more of but never seem to get around to doing for themselves, so by drawing it for them, you are helping them take some time out for themselves. We have some lovely products to enhance your bath time experience here https://wrappedinkindness.ie/product-category/beauty-wellness/
10. Give blood – again such an important one but one that gets forgotten. I had a blood transfusion after giving birth to my first baby, which means I can never give blood, but I would encourage anyone who can to sign up for it here www.giveblood.ie
11. Offer to Babysit – this costs you nothing but time and could really make a difference to someone who badly needs a break. Don’t assume people are sorted with babysitters, often it is very hard for people to trust someone with their kids, so if you have the time, offer it!
12. Reach out to someone you’ve lost touch with – life is busy, we blink and 5 years have passed by in an instant. If you have lost touch with someone you really care about for no reason other than life got busy, why not take 5 minutes to reach out to them on a text.
13. Leave a review – if you have had a great experience in a hotel, restaurant, shop, dentist or wherever take the time to leave them a google review. Again it only takes a couple of minutes but will help their business.
14. Check in with small business owners – so many small business owners work alone. They may be feeling lonely not having any colleagues in an office environment to bounce things off. So make sure to take time to check in on the ones you know – meet them for a coffee, send a DM on Instagram, ask how they’re getting on or just generally offer words of encouragement. It could be the difference between them staying motivated or feeling like they might give up on their dream.
15. Read for 30 mins in bed – I know this doesn’t sound like a traditional random act of kindness, but there is nothing nicer than getting into bed for 30 mins (at any stage of the day that suits) with a warm cup of something and reading a book. Taking this intentional, deliberate time for yourself, sends a message to you and everyone around you that prioritising self-care is important for everyone to do.