Acts of Kindness to Celebrate World Kindness Day and Every Day

When was the last time you received a letter in the mail?  Not a holiday card or letter from the dentist reminding you it’s time to schedule your cleaning again, but a real, hand-written letter.  Well, depending on how old you are, it may have been all the way back to the 1990’s when we had dial-up internet and email and instant messaging took over as the way to send correspondence.   Imagine receiving a hand-written letter now.  Wouldn’t it make you feel all warm and fuzzy?  November 13th is World Kindness Day and I want to inspire you to send some kindness and write a letter to a stranger.  

Because you should have beautiful paper to write your letter on I have created a FREE stationery printable for you at the end of the post!

World Kindness Day was created in 1998 by The World Kindness Movement.  It serves as a day to celebrate kindness and bring people together.  There are currently over 28 nations involved in The World Kindness Movement and their mission is to create a kinder world by inspiring individuals and nations towards greater kindness and use it to bridge the divide between race religion, politics, gender and zip codes.

I love that this day reminds us to make intentional acts of kindness.  What if, instead of focusing on it for one day, we made it a part of our life EVERY DAY.  It can be as simple as letting someone go ahead of you in line, or the two-finger wave from your steering wheel as you pass by a car on the road (this is the norm in the small country town I grew up in).   What about holding the door a second longer for the person who is behind you or just smiling to the person you pass on the street.  These are just a few of the simplest things you can do to make someone’s day.  If you want to level up, especially since it’s the season of gratitude and giving, here are a few more ideas on ways to spread kindness:

Leave a Note

Keep a pack of post-it notes in your bag or car and randomly leave a kind or inspiring note for someone.   Tuck it in a book at the library or leave one under the wiper on a car parked next to you.  Stick one on the back of the bathroom stall door or leave one in your mailbox for the mailman.  It’s a heart-warming and fun way to bring joy to a stranger when they find it!

Donate Winter Gear

Take some time this week and go through your winter gear.  As the temperatures drop, many schools and shelters are in desperate need of coats, boots, hats, mittens, scarfs, etc.   You know you have scarfs or gloves that you haven’t worn in years.  Why not give them to someone who needs them?

Give For a Good Cause

Hundreds of thousands of people have been displaced due to the wildfires in California and it is still spreading.  These people have lost their homes and the basic necessities in it.   Some ways you can help out include donating food or household items, diapers, clothes, or by simply donating money to a credible source (make sure to do your research).  Refinery29 has compiled a list of organizations that need your help.  Take a peek HERE.

Volunteer Somewhere

No matter what your passion is, there is probably a volunteer opportunity for you.  Love kids? You could volunteer at a school or be a mentor.  Love animals?  Why not volunteer at a shelter or walk dogs.  Love creative arts?  You could volunteer at an art museum or a theater?  There are SOOOO many volunteer options out there.  VolunteerMatch is a great resource to help you find something.  Just put your city in the search box and BOOM, literally thousands of volunteer ideas in your area. 

Write a letter to a Stranger

Did you know that over 90% of senior citizens living in nursing facilities report feeling lonely?  That breaks my heart.  Imagine the joy they would feel if they received a letter from a complete stranger?  You can also write to a soldier or a veteran.  Bring a little sunshine to their day by just saying Hi and thanking them for their service to our country.  Here are some resources on how to send a letter to a senior citizen or to a soldier.   Click below to get your FREE stationery printable and start writing.

GET THE FREE PRINTABLE HERE

For more ideas and inspiration on how to spread kindness, check out randomactsofkindness.org.  It is a wonderful organization that is focused on building a kinder world.

For fun, share your ‘acts of kindess’ letter and use the hashtag #SaffronActsOfKindness to spread the word!

With that, I am encouraging you to spread kindness, not only today but every day.