103 Random Acts of Kindness – Ideas to Inspire Kindness

Below are random acts of kindness, planned acts of kindness, and good deeds that you can perform right now to make someone’s day.

Many of these ideas come from my book, HumanKind: Changing the World One Small Act At a Time, a national bestseller filled with true stories about how one small deed can make a world of difference. Like the six-year-old who started a global kindness movement and the $45 donation that rippled across continents to change thousands of lives. (“The most uplifting book in years”—Forbes.)

And Now . . . 103 Planned and Random Acts of Kindness

1. Create a holiday to celebrate someone you love. I have “Mia Appreciation Day” for my wife. Your appreciation day can be as simple as declaring the date of the holiday and writing a note of thanks each year to read out loud on that day.You can also invent your own fun or crazy family holiday and traditions. We have a holiday where everyone dresses head to toe in orange and competes in various silly events.
2. Put 50–100 paper hearts or smiley faces in a box. On each cutout write something that is special about your lover or a good friend. Give her the box and tell her to pull out a heart or smiley face anytime she gets lonely or wants a pick me up.
3. Find opportunities to give compliments. It costs nothing, takes no time, and could make someone’s entire day. Don’t just think it. Say it.
4. Your compliment could be something silly, yet endearing. Here’s a post from Pinterest.
   

   Upon entering the Magic Kingdom, one of the security guards said to Alli, ‘Excuse me Princess, can I have your autograph?’ I could see that the book was filled with children’s scribbles as the guard asked the same question of many little Princesses. Alli could not get over the fact that the guard thought she was a real princess.” From Pinterest.

5. Share overheard compliments.
6. One easy way to ensure you write a nice note or give at least one compliment a day . . . When you open your inbox for the first time of the day write a short email (or text) – 1 paragraph max – praising someone. This note can be as simple as, “Just wanted to say, ‘thanks for being such a great friend.’” Or, “Thinking of you.” Or, point out something nice that you’ve noticed. 15 seconds can make someone’s entire day. And, when you look for a compliment to give each day, your mind starts to naturally see more opportunities to compliment, which will make you more aware of and appreciative of the kindness around you.
7. Here’s Helen Mrosla’s great kindness idea…

   Give each member of your family, team, class or group a piece of paper with the name of every group member on the piece of paper. Tell each group member to “write what you appreciated about each fellow group member next to the person’s name” (or you can give out notecards and instruct everyone to “write what you appreciate about each group member on a separate notecard”). The leader collects all of the sheets/cards.

   All of the comments are organized so each person gets all of the positive comments about them.

   Helen discovered that her students cherished these sheets so much that the students kept them and still talked about them a decade later. The parents of one student told Helen that their son took the paper with him when he was deployed and kept it with him the entire time.

   I’ve done this exercise with the young adults I teach, and they love it.People don’t hear how special they are often enough. This act of kindness exercise is a simple way to appreciate others in a lasting and touching way.


8. Take five minutes to send cards to sick children who are fighting serious illnesses and want to receive mail. Send mail to Cards for Hospitalized Kids, which delivers the cards to children in U.S. hospitals. A great activity for individuals, families and classrooms.

   This nonprofit was started by Jen Rubino when she was 14-years old! Jen’s inspiration was her own hospitalization as a child and teen. She sometimes felt forgotten, depressed, lonely and isolated. During one difficult hospital stay, she received a handmade card from a hospital volunteer that brightened her day. That inspired her nonprofit, which has delivered more than 500,000 cards.

9. Through Cardz for Kidz! you can also send cards to lift the spirits of hospitalized and/or traumatized kids. Cardz for Kidz! delivers around the globe.
10. Sign up to get 30 free “You Matter” cards. Give them out to people who make a difference in your life. From the cheery barista who gets your day started right to the family member who asks how you’re doing and then listens to what you have to say. I cover the You Matter Marathon in more detail here. You can read about the woman who got the movement started, which has led to over three million cards given out globally.
11. On Mother’s Day and Father’s Day, remember any friends who have lost a parent the previous year, and check in with them.  Those will be tough days.
12. Make little gift baskets for the kids in your neighborhood. One of our neighbors made our son an Easter basket (also a Halloween and Christmas basket). It made our son, my wife and me feel great. The cost of each basket was probably $5.
Looking for more ideas about how to spread kindness? These ideas are from my book, HumanKind: Changing the World One Small Act At a Time. This National Bestseller is filled with true stories about how one small deed can make a world of difference. “Elegant and wise” (Deepak Chopra). “The most uplifting and life-affirming book in years” (Forbes). Learn more about HumanKind.

13. “I’m going to the supermarket. Can I pick something up for you?” If you know someone who is overwhelmed – perhaps by a new baby, family health issues, or something else – give them a call when you’re going out to the store. Ask if they’d like you to pick something up. We’ve been the beneficiaries of this random act of kindness, and it’s great.
14. When a friend’s family member dies, an incredible gift is to gather stories about the deceased. Get friends and family members to provide stories, anecdotes and photos. Your friend will forever cherish the book you’ll put together. If you can’t make an entire book, just sharing your fond memories is appreciated.
15. When you buy goods from over 1,700 online retailers you can use iGive to have that retailer donate money to your favorite charity. This includes major retailers like Best Buy, Expedia, Bed Bath and Beyond, and others.
16. Help a teacher get the supplies needed for class. DonorsChoose connects us with classrooms lacking resources. The site, which lists teacher requests for their classrooms, has fulfilled more than 1.9 million requests. Donors can choose the school, class and project they want to help fund with donations as small as $1.
17. Collect soda can tabs to donate to Ronald McDonald House a nonprofit that supports sick children and their families. The charity gets paid for the tabs.
18. My mom called me after a winter storm that resulted in a few days of icy roads. Mom suggested I call some of the seniors in my neighborhood to make sure they were ok and didn’t need anything. What a great idea.

    The thoughtful owner of Fox’s Pizza Den in Ligonier, PA went even further. When freezing temperatures made it dangerous for elderly people to go outside, Tom Wynkoop offered that his delivery people would bring medicine, food or other necessities to those who couldn’t get out due to health reasons – no food ordering required.

19. If you’re a musician living in NYC, Philadelphia, Washington DC, Nashville, Los Angeles, Atlanta, San Francisco, Baltimore, Denver, Phoenix, Dallas, Boston or Miami, you can volunteer through the nonprofit Musicians on Call to deliver a live, in-room performance to patients undergoing treatment or unable to leave their beds. Provide a dose of joy to people living in healthcare facilities by bringing the healing power of music to people who need it.
20. Put a surprise note or sketch in with your spouse’s or kid’s lunch.
21. Help others find the positive by seeking it out and pointing it out. At the beginning of one of my classes (this class was for older teens), we’d often discuss what was going on in the students’ lives. My students were all in foster care and often focused on what was unfair in their lives and the hardships they faced. My students had a lot to be upset about, but focusing on the negative wasn’t helping.

    One student frequently pointed out what was special about her classmates as well as the positive. “Elijah, I’m so impressed with your progress on your handyman business,” or “Thomas, you’re such a great presenter.” When Yasmiyn spoke you could see other people glowing. In fact, Yasmiyn’s participation changed the tone of our class. Over time, everyone started noticing and pointing out the positive. Our class thrived after taking Yasmiyn’s lead of looking for and sharing the positive.

22. When it’s summer and hot outside, give cold Gatorades to your mail carrier and trash collectors. When it’s freezing outside, offer hot chocolate to crossing guards, police officers and others.
23. Cook an extra portion of dinner (or dessert) for someone who needs it. Caring for Friends is a Philadelphia area nonprofit that delivers about 500,000 meals yearly to people in need. It started with one woman’s small acts of kindness. Rita Schiavone made an extra meal each night to give to someone who needed it. Soon friends found out and joined her. Then one thing led to another, and a wonderful nonprofit was born. Read her amazing story.
24. After a wedding or party donate all of the flowers to a nursing home. If you want to see the impact of these random acts of kindness, personally deliver a flower to each resident. You could also bring the flowers to a hospital and ask the receptionist to distribute them to patients who could use them.
25. Speaking of flowers — Why not take flowers to the nursing station at a hospital — for the nurses.
26. Tell someone the truth. Sometimes it’s really hard, but it’s what friends do.
27. Say “thank you” to someone who made a difference. . . .Send a card to people who dedicate their lives to helping us – soldiers, police officers, fire fighters and teachers to name a few.
    

    A student at Mango Elementary gave the police officer patrolling her school this note after the Sandy Hook tragedy.

    Write a letter to a deployed or wounded member of the military through Operation Gratitude or Soldiers’ Angels. Soldiers say that letters are the most meaningful part of the care packages they receive.

28. It’s never too late to say “thanks.” I sent a note 7 years after someone had helped me, and she told me it made her feel terrific. I’m glad I got over my embarrassment at how much time had passed and finally sent it.

    On the topic of “thank you”, TD Bank’s Thank you video shows them turning ATMs into Automatic Thanking Machines for some personal and special moments for customers. If you decide to watch this random acts of kindness video, have your tissues ready.

29. Seer Interactive has a display of thank you cards in their office lobby. Any employee or visitor can take a card and a postage stamp. As founder Wil Reynolds said when he was giving my class a tour of his office, “We want everyone to be able to send a thank you note anytime. If your grandma did something for you, your parent or a client or co-worker – pick up a note and send that card.” Putting up a rack of cards doesn’t create a workplace culture of kindness on its own, `but it’s a great start and a great idea – for your office and home.
30. Write letters to strangers who need them. More Love Letters has a list of people who could benefit from letters of encouragement. Each person has been added to the web site by a friend or family member. Read the stories and take five minutes to make someone’s day.
31. Send cards to lonely seniors. As a tribute to his grandfather, 13-year-old Jacob Cramer started Love for Our Elders, which has grown over the years into a nonprofit with over 55,000 volunteers who have sent letters to seniors in 27 countries. This page explains how you can send a postal letter.
32. There are so many ways to make people feel great by sending letters:

    Send a crazy letter or postcard to make someone laugh.My nieces love mail so much, that my wife and I try to regularly send them postcards, stickers and anything we find for that matter, and it makes their day.

33. Send a letter just to “let you know how much I care about you.” How wonderful would it be to get that?
34. Cut out an article and send it to someone. “I thought about you when I saw this…” or “this reminds me of…” My grandmother always did this, and it made me feel great. We receive so few letters, that there’s something magical about postal mail (but texts are also an excellent option). For other ideas from my grandma see: Grandma’s Great Advice on Sex, How to Be a Better Person, The Perils of Tight Underwear and more.
35. Take a cute photo of someone you love and share it with them.
36. Think of the amazing people in your life. Take an hour to write those people a letter telling them why they’re awesome. Or take five minutes to write a letter to just one of them.

    Karema, one of my students, has a letter she carries around with her every day. She told me a teacher gave it to her a couple years ago, and it reminds her that she’s appreciated. Do you have a note or letter that you’ve saved because it made you feel seen, appreciated, special?

    Why not give someone that gift? We can take ten minutes to write a note of appreciation and make someone’s day. We can give them something they might hold onto forever!

37. Even easier and quicker than sending letters is texting. You could text someone just to tell them something you appreciate about him. I received a random text like this from a relative. It made me feel awesome. Or, simply text/email a joke — here’s a hilarious one minute read you could send.
38. Do you know someone who could use a lift? Add them to the More Love Letters list, so they can get letters of encouragement.
39. Join the bone marrow registry. Certain types of patients with blood cancers can only survive if doctors find a bone marrow match for a transplant. A friend of ours survived, because he found a match – his kids have their dad because of a bone marrow match. There are thousands of people who can live, if they find a match.

    Here’s how it works — you send in a swab from your mouth. Then you’re added to the bone marrow registry. If you’re lucky enough to be a match, you have the option to save a life by donating bone marrow from your blood. You’re usually sore for a day or two afterwards. Of course, you have the long-term side effect of knowing that you saved a life. Get info here.

40. Keep an extra umbrella at work, so you can lend it out when it rains.
41. If you’re a business, leverage what you do every day to do good and perform acts of kindness. Here are some examples . . .
    

    Plaza Cleaners in Portland, OR posted the above sign.

    Rotation Records in Norristown, PA heard about an 11-year old battling Cancer whose dream is to be a singer. They offered her an opportunity to have a recording session and red carpet party at their studios, which was a huge hit.

    Dentists in our area provide free service to kids who can’t afford dental care.

42. Sometimes we shy away from people when we know they’re having a rough time. We think it might be awkward or maybe we assume we should wait for them to approach us, so we’re not intruding.

    Instead, simply let them know that you’re thinking about them. “I’m just reaching out to let you know that I’m thinking about you,” is a wonderful way to demonstrate that you care. You’re not asking them to talk, so if they don’t want to have a conversation, they won’t feel any pressure. On the other hand, if they do want to talk, they have an opening.

    When I wrote HumanKind: Changing the World One Small Act at a Time, I interviewed hundreds of people going through a difficult time, and every person said that being seen mattered. Many of these people didn’t want to talk about their challenges. Being seen was getting a text, or a note or something that let the person know someone was thinking about them. (I used to work in advertising and we did a lot of market research. I can’t remember a single time that everyone we interviewed agreed on something, so I think “being seen” is significant.)

43. Listen. Don’t interrupt. Something I learned from my wife is that people don’t always want us to suggest a solution. Sometimes they just want us to listen. We underestimate how important and comforting it is to be listened to.
44. Do something special that you know your significant other will appreciate – like when my dad used to wake up early to scrape the ice off my mom’s car. Or, when my wife surprised me with cookies from a favorite bakery. These small acts of kindness matter. For more related to the little things, see How a Frosty Strengthened My Marriage.
45. When you see something good, share it. Tim, a friend who teaches, said that when his students are doing really well he calls their parents. Tim teaches at an alternative school where parents usually receive calls from the school when their children are in trouble. Tim said he likes to make sure he also calls with good news. How great for the kids and their parents. Keep an eye out for the positive and share it with parents, spouses, friends and so on. These are simple and meaningful acts of kindness.
46. Be sure to also share in a work setting. When you get great service tell the person who helped you. Then, tell a manager. Go to the corporate web site and submit an email.

    Write a positive online review of a business you like. It makes a difference. Our mason and electrician said that over 50% of their business comes from online reviews.

    And, don’t forget to point out those people at your work who do a great job.

47. Be kind to yourself. Every day write down 3 to 5 things for which you’re grateful. I do this every night with a simple email to myself. By the way, research has shown that this increases happiness 25%. This doesn’t mean you’ll be in a land of rainbows and unicorns, but you will be happier than you’d otherwise be.
48. We can be really tough on ourselves. I find it helpful to ask myself, “What would I say to a friend,” if my friend had done what I’m beating myself up over? Like many people, I treat myself worse than I’d treat a friend, so this framework helps me lighten up.
49. When people are gossiping about someone, be the person to chime in with something nice.
50. Encourage someone to pursue her dreams, and help her achieve her goals. If failure has her down, use these 23 famous failures that resulted in success as inspiration for her or this poem – Don’t be Afraid to Fail.
51. Say, “Yes” to someone. 15-year-old Jack Andraka received 199 rejections before a lab finally agreed to allow him to do research there. Jack Andraka wound up developing a breakthrough cancer test 100 times more sensitive and 26,000 times less expensive than existing tests.
52. Donate your stuff. Instead of saving things in case you need them in 10 years, consider giving stuff to someone who needs it now. Here is a list of where to donate clothes, furniture, old phones, inkjet cartridges, children’s clothes and books, appliances, electronics, cars, eyeglasses and more. Some of these nonprofits will even pick up items at your house.
53. Through Give Back Box you can pack up clothes, household items, games or other items you no longer need, and Give Back Box provides a prepaid shipping label so you can ship the items to Goodwill at no charge. This can be done from any state in the US. (Goodwill is a nonprofit that provides job training and jobs.)
54. When you’re volunteering keep the little things in mind. Some students from Spark the Wave were volunteering at a coat drive. In addition to giving out the coats, they put kind and encouraging notes inside the pockets. Other kids decorated the lids on cans of food they donated to a food pantry. The human touches in these random acts of kindness make a difference.
55. Our neighbors noticed that we had a lot going on and could use a distraction.So our neighbors put this bag in our mailbox.

    

    A small act of kindness (like a little gift) at the time you need it can make a huge difference. Simple and appreciated!

56. Give someone the benefit of the doubt.
57. Everyone is important. Learn the names of your office security guard, the person at the front desk and other people you see every day. Greet them by name. Also say “hello” to strangers and smile. These acts of kindness are so easy, and they almost always make people smile.

    “All but one nursing school quiz question was easy: ‘What’s the first name of the woman who cleans the school?’ Surely this was a joke. I had seen the woman several times, but how would I know her name? A student asked if the question counted. ‘Absolutely,’ the professor said. ‘In your careers, you’ll meet many people. All are significant. They deserve your attention and care, even if all you do is smile and say hello.’ I never forgot that lesson, and learned her name was Dorothy.—Joan J. (From the book HumanKind: Changing the World One Small Act At a Time, Page 83.)

58. During the holiday season, buy gifts for kids who might not otherwise receive presents. These programs make it easy: Angel Tree Program (you’ll need to check with your local Salvation Army to see if they have an Angel Tree program), Toys for Tots, and One Simple Wish.

    This article is an inspiring read about how the Angel Tree Program started and how a guitar gifted through the program had a ripple effect changing thousands of kids’ lives.

59. Contribute a small sum of money to grant a wish of a foster youth. One Simple Wish has an online directory of requests that case workers submit for their foster youth. The wishes are often the simple things – money to go to prom, dance lessons, money to pay for being on the school cheerleading squad, to name a few.
Give yourself the gift of feeling good! My book, HumanKind: Changing the World One Small Act At a Time, has true stories about those moments when a small act of kindness changes a life or has a ripple effect changing thousands of lives. The book’s resources section contains dozens of practical kindness ideas. Learn more about the Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestseller HumanKind.

60. Follow-up. My friend Mary received tremendous support when she was diagnosed with cancer. She said the support tapered down while she went through her lengthy treatment. Mary’s experience changed her perspective. Now, when someone she knows has cancer, Mary finds reasons to send a note or reach out every few weeks.

    I recently heard the same thing from a friend who is going through a divorce. He said it felt like everyone forgot about him a month later, even though it was still tough.

    I felt guilty hearing these statements, because I hadn’t been good about long-term follow-up opportunities, but now I’ll do better.

    Let’s remember to reach out months after a trauma (disease, divorce, death, etc.). My friends said that an occasional friendly note made a big difference—even if the person sending it wasn’t a close friend.

61. Get an email address for your kids and send them memories, achievements, awards, etc. Give them the address at 18.
62. Check in with someone. Recently an acquaintance emailed to see how I was doing. She said she hadn’t seen a blog post in a while and wanted to say “hi.” Although it was simply business that kept me from posting, her outreach was touching.
63. Pay for someone’s dinner…
    

    Photo of the note given to the England family (Photo source: Ashley England)

    I read about a family out to dinner with a special needs child. The kid was having a rough time and the waitress brought over a note that said “God only gives special children to special people” from a mystery guest who paid for the family’s meal.

    The child is non-verbal and has had 3 major brain surgeries for epilepsy.

    The boy’s mom, Ashley England, told WBTV, “To have someone do that small act towards us shows that some people absolutely understand what we are going through and how hard it is to face the public sometimes,” she said. “They made me cry, blessed me more than they know – I felt like out of all the rude negative comments that we are faced with – this outweighs them. The people who care!”

64. Loan money to a U.S. or developing world entrepreneur through Kiva. You can donate as little as $25, which goes to entrepreneurs who otherwise wouldn’t get funded. Sustainable businesses are the result, leading to jobs and self-sufficiency. And, you can reinvest, because 96.4% of the loans are repaid.
65. There isn’t enough work for the military personnel who return home, so many of them survive on odd jobs. What do you need done around your house? Post your odd jobs on Hire Patriots and give back to those who have given so much. You might also want to check out Support our Troops – Over a Dozen Ways to Thank Our Troops and 10 Incredible Entrepreneurs Serving Veterans, How they Got Started, and How You can Help.
66. Offer a ride. Many veterans don’t have transportation to and from their medical appointments at VA Hospitals. You can volunteer as a van driver for Disabled American Veterans.
67. Support families who have a member deployed. Let them know that you recognize their sacrifice, and ask how you can help. For example, mowing their lawn or babysitting. A great resource is Operation Homefront, which provides financial and emotional support to veterans’ families.

    Soldiers’ Angels provide support to military families through three services: Comforting the loved ones left behind when a soldier dies in battle, providing handmade gifts and virtual baby showers, and holiday adoption program to support a family’s holiday needs.

68. On Memorial Day or Veteran’s Day, go to your local memorial or event and pass out mini flags or flowers to Veterans. Keep in mind that Memorial Day is to remember those who died. Sometimes people get confused and wish people a “Happy Memorial Day.” Or someone might write “Have a great Memorial Day weekend” in a company email. For those who served, it isn’t great.

    For more ideas to say, “Thank you veterans” – and random acts of kindness for veterans, here’s a list of 22 ways to support our troops.

69. When a friend makes a meal that you love, ask for the recipe.
70. Teach someone. We can all teach something, and sometimes the small things make the biggest difference. Olympic gold medalist, professional baseball player and bestselling author Jim Abbott recalls that his third grade teacher showing him how to tie his shoes was one of the biggest inspirations of his life.
71. Post positive notes.
    
    At the center where I teach, someone posted positive notes in unexpected places – like the one above, which was at the water cooler. Everyone loved the signs and it led to a barrage of thank you emails to the entire school, just so people could thank the anonymous poster.
72. Invite someone to dinner – especially at the holidays, when it’s difficult for some people to be alone.
73. If you’re upset, take a deep breath and count to 10 (or perhaps 15) before you say anything. Ask yourself if what you’re going to say will be helpful. Pausing will reduce the likelihood you’ll say something you’ll regret. Remind yourself that a positive mindset is a choice you can make.
74. Make a helpful introduction.
75. Call your parents. Hi Mom and Dad!  🙂
76. Wendy McDonald paints small rocks and puts an inspirational word on them. If someone needs a boost she hands the rock to them. As Wendy says, “fun for me and rewarding!” A personal touch to cheer someone up and let them know you’re thinking of them. (Wendy, thanks for sharing your random acts of kindness.)
    
77. Buy a small gift for someone. Just because.
78. Share a great book you’ve read.(I recently finished and loved, Conor Grennan’s book,Little Princes, One Man’s Promise to Bring Home the Lost Children of Nepal.)
79. Don’t ignore the next homeless person you see. I’ve often heard from people who are homeless that passersby avert their eyes and try not to look at them. It’s devastating, but I’ve been told that a simple “hello” can make all the difference. If you want to do more, bring them food or carry around a care package of food or toiletries that you can give to a homeless person.
80. Let another car merge in front of you, or stop to let a pedestrian cross the street.
81. Hold the elevator. Sometimes, when I hope the elevator will shut before someone else comes and slows me down, I think, “Am I really in that much of a rush that an extra minute will hurt me?”
82. If you print an Internet coupon before going to a store, print a few extras to give to other customers.
83. In five minutes you can sign up to become an organ donor. Then, when you die (we all do eventually), your organs can be used to save lives. One person’s organs can save up to 8 lives. If you want to know more, the Mayo Clinic wrote an excellent article answering frequently asked questions about organ donation.
84. If you see someone who looks lost and might need help with directions, don’t wait for him to ask you for help.
85. Bring in food or snacks for your office mates.
86. Photograph tourists. See a person or a couple trying to take a photo of themselves? Offer to take it for them.
87. Stop at a kid’s lemonade stand and buy a drink. Always.
88. Leave a big tip.
89. Call someone you love. Tell him you love him.
90. Allow someone to help you. Let her enjoy performing an act of kindness.
91. Donate a small sum of money to a charity you love. Don’t think a small donation can make a huge difference? Read how Hilde Back’s donation of $45 a year changed the lives of over 900 families.
92. Spend a few minutes on Free Rice, a United Nations Food Program that will donate rice to hungry people for every question you get right on their learning web site. You can learn vocabulary, French, Chemistry and even answer SAT prep questions. This is made possible through the corporate sponsors you’ll see on the bottom of the pages. Free Rice has fed millions of people since its 2007 launch.
93. Plant a tree while you search the web. If you search the web using Ecosia, the search ads generate money for Ecosia. Ecosia uses this income to plant trees in Africa, bringing water, plants and animals back to drought-ridden areas. The revived land means more jobs, healthier livestock and more independent people. A stronger local economy allows both women and men to earn their own income, meaning more children can go to school. Ecosia currently funds planting a tree every 13 seconds. So far they’ve planted over 3 million trees. The search engine is powered by Bing.
94. Write a love note and hide it in a magazine your partner is reading or somewhere else he/she will find it.
95. Use the idle time on your computer to cure diseases, study global warming and power many other research projects. Your computing power will be donated through BOINC, a project of the University of California supported by the National Science Foundation.
96. When you want to help someone, ask: “How can I help?” and also suggest specific ways you can help. People are less likely to come up with a way for you to help if you’re too general. For example, if someone just had a baby, you could say, “I’d really like to do something for you. Can I drop off groceries, babysit your older child or cook dinner this week?” If they say “no thanks,” you can ask if there’s something else they’d appreciate.
97. Use Goodsearch to search the internet, play games or answer survey questions. The for profit company donates a portion of all advertising revenue to charity (50% of revenue or 1 cent for each search).
98. Carry around a $5 gift card so you can give it to someone who does something awesome. Or, create and carry “thanks for making my day” cards that you can give to people.
99. Help make audio books available to anyone who wants them. LibriVox helps you find books in the public domain that you can read out loud, record and make accessible to people who want them.

Random acts of kindness for kids:

100. Involve your kids in community service. Donna mentioned in the comments below that she takes her son to pass out food to people who need it.
101. I read about a teacher who got her first graders involved in random acts of kindness by having her class collectively perform 100 random acts of kindness over a 2-week period. The class recorded each act on a small heart and organized the hearts into a collage. Perhaps this is a way to get your kids excited about acts of kindness and introduce your kids to the warm feeling from doing good.
102. During the holidays my cousin takes her children to a store to pick out and buy a gift for a child who might not get many gifts. This year, instead of getting 8 gifts for Hanukkah, her kids got 7 and the 8th gift was one they picked out for someone else. Toys for Tots is a great recipient of these acts of kindness.
103. You could also participate together in many of the other ideas listed earlier in this post. If you’re interested, here’s a link to Random Acts of Kindness for Kids–24 ideas for raising grateful and kind kids.

Seek out an opportunity to help every day. Hold open a door, offer assistance, help someone trying to get a stroller down the steps or perform any random acts of kindness that move you. Every small interaction with someone is an opportunity to have a positive impact on both of your lives.

If you begin every day by telling yourself that you’ll find a way to make someone’s day, you will succeed. When you look, you’ll find opportunities to perform random acts of kindness and planned acts of kindness. When you take those opportunities, you’ll feel great.