7 Simple Ways to Pay it Forward: Random Acts of Kindness Week

This week is International Random Acts of Kindness Week. Seven days officially designated across the world to remind people to be nice to each other. That may seem obvious and unnecessary to some – do we really need a reminder just to be nice? But when you think about it, what an incredible concept! Sure people should be mindful and kind all the time, but concentrating awareness around this one week can hopefully start a chain reaction for random acts every day. We often don’t realize how powerful one small, thoughtful gesture can be.

So, where to begin? There are endless ideas for random acts of kindness from grand to mini. If big-scale good deeds are your thing, there are lots of random acts you can do as part of a bigger movement, like Operation Gratitude or Hugs and Hope. But if you’re more of an everyday “pay it forward” type, then try these seven simple ideas. One for each day of RAK week.

Monday:

Drop a coin in someone’s expired meter.

Tuesday:

Compliment someone or many people throughout the day.

Wednesday:

Pay for the car behind you in the Starbuck’s drive-thru.

Thursday:

Allow a car to merge into your lane in front of you during rush hour.

Friday:

Say “I love you” out loud and often to your family and friends.

Saturday:

Find a public wish list on Amazon.com and send a gift to a stranger.

Sunday:

Return someone’s shopping cart for them after they’ve unloaded their groceries.

Now, get out there this week with an awareness of DOING something nice, put it to practice, and enjoy the euphoria of all that positive energy.

Tell us your favorite ways to be kind and how you make it part of your everyday life. Or share your stories if you’ve ever been the recipient of an awesome random act. We love hearing from you.