Still want to have a few friends and family over this summer? Leave kind notes around. As we adjust to these new times and changing lifestyles, it can be overwhelming and difficult to navigate this new landscape. Send a (snail mail) thank you card when someone goes out of their way for you (for example, after being a podcast guest, offering you advice, or including you in an expert roundup). One of the best ways to teach kindness in the classroom is to model being kind to others. As Mr. Rogers said, “Look for the helpers.” Helping others is an easy way for students of all ages to express kindness. It can be smiling compassionately at the young mother who is holding a crying toddler. Offer to go on coffee chats with people who want to do something you’re good at. Smile when you make eye contact with someone (anyone). Today on the blog, I am sharing with you some easy ideas on ways to show kindness in your community. Fill out a customer comment cart if you interacted with a businesses employee who made you smile. Offer to write LinkedIn recommendations for people you appreciate. Even today, I see social networks as an excellent tool for staying in touch with friends and family who I’d otherwise have trouble staying connected to. You can even suggest you all watch a movie together and eat your favorite snack foods. The third strategy is to take the initiative to learn about the impact of your generosity, which can elicit contagious feelings of joy. The event is $20/day — subsidized by sponsors, not existing to make money. Leave a gift for someone in a random public place such as on a park bench, at a bus stop, the library, a coffee house, or restaurant. World kindness is today, November 13th and I do believe we could all use a little extra kindness in our world. I realize this isn’t exactly a... 2. Pay for the person’s coffee behind you. If you are looking to build community, bringing a meal, a note, flowers, or offering to watch kids is sure to be a crowd-pleaser! Username or email address  *. Create your own caring/kindness book* that shows how you show caring/kindness to your friends, your family, and to your community. For example, I help organize WordCamp Denver because I’m passionate about the open-source WordPress community. Share your items with others. One action can really make a difference and may even lead to … Voluntarily give up control of the remote or radio to the people you spend time with. Pay compliments and smile at people. As a digital native, my first exposure to social media started in high school. It’s interesting to see just how differently people can think about the same subject. The man apologized to Oswalt for his initial response, humbled by the outpouring of positive support. If you see a mom struggling (like while she’s in transit from place to place), help make her life easier. Support a client’s business when you can, to thank them for supporting yours. 3. Send someone a card via snail mail just to let them know you were thinking about them. Offer to fix a problem you can handle with ease but someone else is desperately struggling at. Pay for the person behind you in line at the store – especially if they appear flustered by what’s going on in their day. Go for walks in nature with family, friends, alone, and commune with the world that you're a part of. Grandpa Shorter’s Gifts | Web Design by Eco-Office Gals • Social Media Consultant Sommer Poquette | Keep it Real Social LLC. 9 Small Ways to Show Kindness to Others: 1. And you should strive to win with kindness, too. Volunteering in person or online is a great way to boost your health and longevity, she advises, as well as performing acts of kindness. Look for ways to show that you are approachable and receptive. 27 Simple Ways to Practice Kindness. Check in with your neighbors to make sure they have what they need and to let them know they have people that care. 5 Ways to Be Kind to Your Community During Coronavirus / COVID-19 Be a good neighbor. Since reading that article, here are some ideas I want to put into action to be more kind to everyone around me (whether they agree with me or not! Check local papers, community boards and websites to find ways you can bring more kindness to your local community. In this day and age we see so much violence and destruction via media outlets. I’m a firm believer in karma and I honestly believe if you throw kindness around like confetti as Grandpa Shorter’s would say, it will come back at you two fold. Be especially aware of elderly neighbors and people that live alone. Use manners, say "please" and "thank you". 7 Random Acts of Kindness That Can Brighten Your Community Today 1. Sounds simple right? Clean up after yourself and others sharing your space without being asked. If someone else tries to engage you in an argument, sometimes silence can be the most impactful response. Regardless of how confident you are in yourself and your beliefs, it can be downright soul-crushing to be the subject of an attack that involves a group of people who think differently than you. Call 1-866-SHORTERS to place an order. One way to help your loved ones feel connected to their community is by organizing a group check-in via Facetime, Skype, Zoom or any other means. Let someone go in front of you in the lunch queue. Nothing brightens a person’s day more than receiving a smile from the person whose eye they just caught. In a time of peak toxicity online and offline, here are some ideas you can put into action to practice kindness to everyone around you. How to Show Kindness to Others Go With Your Instincts. Find over 5 Kindness to your Community groups with 125 members near you and meet people in your local community who share your interests. Jill Schultz is a northern Michigan native. Help them with schoolwork, if appropriate. World Kindness Day was launched in 1998 by the World Kindness Movement, and is celebrated annually on November 13.The objective of World Kindness Day is to “highlight good deeds in the community, focusing on the positive power and common thread of kindness which binds us. Volunteer to help with an industry conference without expecting anything in return. It won’t even take a minute extra of your time. Just remember to show kindness when you share your feedback. Give up your seat on a bus if someone needs it more than you. Hospitality is what brings people together. Family owned and operated in the heart of downtown Petoskey, Michigan, specializing in Petoskey Stones, mixed stone jewelry, Minnetonka Moccasins, Michigan merchandise, Pendleton, and much more. Store hours may vary and change, please call ahead, Monday-Saturday 9 am-6 pm | Sunday 11 am-5 pm, Monday-Saturday 10 am-6 pm | Sunday 11 am-5 pm, © All Rights Reserved. Show compassion and share your thoughts to be more open with your community, and try to find common ground with your community to build rapport and establish intimacy. Locally owned and operated since 1946, Grandpa Shorter’s third generation proprietor, Jennifer Shorter is a firm believer in kindness and often gives back to the community and local organizations such as The United Way and Camp Daggett. Practice Random Acts of Kindness. Nobody’s perfect and everyone has bad days. PICK UP THE TRASH.. A lot of municipalities don’t have the manpower to clean up litter from every stretch of roadway,... 2. Boyne City, in the fall or summer, is one of our favorite local cities to visit. There are plenty of bike rentals in Petoskey and there’s a great reason why! Make sure to stay anonymous and relay a friendly message to the person like “Have a nice day!” or “Spread kindness and pay it forward”. One of the easiest ways to show kindness is by being present, physically and mentally. Spread the love on your team by doing random acts of kindness (via the internet) to position yourself stronglywithin a company. You already know that it takes more muscles to frown than to smile. Be generous with retweets, likes, and other forms of social media engagement — especially with a fan who hasn’t found as much success as you just yet. Be intentional about eye contact, and share the gift of a smile. (Or: How to Look Successful When You’re Struggling), 4 Deep Thoughts on Being a Provider & Partner, Leadership Is a Lonely Road – Here’s What Helps Me Every Day, Enterprise SEO: Communication Within Your SEO Teams, SEO in the Age of COVID-19: Organic Impacts on the Retail Industry, How the Coronavirus Pandemic Has Impacted the Travel Industry. With all this in mind, I was recently inspired by this headline: Here’s the TL:DR (too long, didn’t read); This was my response to the article that I shared with my Facebook friends: “New 2019 goal: achieve Patton Oswalt-level kindness when dealing with people I don’t agree with.”. This is perhaps most true when it comes to the comment sections of articles shared on Facebook. $6 standard shipping. But entertainment aside, it can be disheartening to see how quickly people get nasty with an online stranger who disagrees with them. Besides writing for Grandpa Shorter's, Jill assists with our online store adding inventory and taking photos. Patton Oswalt Responds To Online Attacker By Donating Money To Troll’s GoFundMe, I’m an Ad & You Can, Too! Ways to Show Kindness In Your Community Smile and Make Eye Contact. Be a Helper. Fighting with one another, whether online or IRL, isn’t getting us anywhere. This happened to me one morning in the drive thru waiting to get my coffee on... 3. Challenge yourself to do something good for someone a certain number of … Especially if someone’s hands are full. Oswalt checked out this man’s Twitter profile and noticed that he had major health issues, donated $2,000 to his GoFundMe, and encouraged his followers to likewise do so. 9. Engaging in kindness and … A Trump supporter replied with a personal dig. HELP A NEIGHBOR WITH YARDWORK AND SNOW REMOVAL.. … Buy a box of dog treats to leave in your car, offering one to a … Support a friend’s business when you can, over a big box store (or refer business their way if you know someone who’s looking for what they offer). What is World Kindness Day? Offer to make an introduction between two parties who could mutually benefit from being connected. Share your love for nature with others, to help reawaken their sense of connection with nature. As an added bonus, studies show that smiling lifts our mood and helps us appear more attractive to others. Take time to restore parts of your local environment with the local community. Create free content that genuinely helps people, based on your own road to success. Gifts is Petoskey’s original souvenir store, since 1946. Needless to say, it’s become difficult to truly enjoy getting lost on social media as of late. ): And, because I’m a small business owner (as are many SEJ readers), here are some specific ideas that you can make your own to spread kindness to other small business owners: I’m just one person with one set of ideas for how to spread around more kindness. I’m a huge fan of manners and think it’s just as important as smiling and making eye contact. Resist the urge to give a catty reply in a heated situation. 2 Because of how I have been impacted by the kindness and hospitality of those around me, I am eager to offer help to the next person who finds themselves in need. Smile and say “hello” or “good morning” to a stranger walking down the street. Leave a note on a neighbor’s or coworker’s car wishing them a spectacular day. 8. Or, if you’d rather get a sweat in, try doing a group workout together with these amazing at-home exercises. I love this sort of kindness because – by leveraging the co-opetition – Jimmy and Ellen compete with each other in a way that makes everybody feel great and also models being nice to others in their communities. Be a catalyst for the ripple effect of kindness in your own life. The second strategy is to make a connection with the recipient of your kindness—for example by taking a colleague out to lunch rather than just giving a gift certificate. Be generous with your time and energy wherever possible. “Doing good has a much larger impact than people realize.” Get the science of a meaningful life delivered to your inbox. Do you have a... We have gone to virtual living as of late, but that doesn’t mean we stop celebrating and enjoying life. I believe the only way we’re going to get through the pandemic is by banding together, so supporting one another is … It’s the simple things in life that often bring the most joy and putting a smile on someones face is a great way to go about it. It’s gotten to the point that in most situations, no matter how strong my beliefs about a subject may be (and how badly I want to spout off), I refuse to engage in a public discussion with online strangers. 2. We need to do something to change the status quo. The Big "I" Young Agents are encouraging the Trusted Choice community to create positive social and community experiences during the COVID-19 crisis. It can be doing your child’s chores after he’s had a particularly tough day. Garbage isn’t meant for the streets, do your part for your city and community … Whether you live here in rural Northern Michigan or maybe you’re from a big city, simple acts of kindness can go a long way. With the current political climate in the United States, biting remarks shared between members of groups with different beliefs have only worsened. It can be overwhelming to say the least. Buy a box of granola bars and leave it in your car, offering one to someone who looks hungry along your way. Pay for the person behind you in line at the store – especially if they appear flustered by what’s going on in their day. You want them to feel comfortable talking to you and bringing things to your attention. When someone asks for a minute of your time, take five minutes at some point in your day to talk to them. Similarly, being kind to another human being doesn’t have to cost any money or require much effort. It’s a great place to visit for some great... There’s no question that Petoskey is a special place. It was all fun and games at the beginning. Present a 3 to 5 minute oral presentation* to a group of 2 to 3 people about what it means to care for someone or something. Random acts of kindness can improve your work atmosphere and boost your motivation. Resist the urge to give a catty reply in … Here’s how you can host a socially distant BBQ. Hold A Teddy Bear Drive. However, you decide to enjoy these kindness printables with your children will lead to fun and inspiration for not only your family but your community too. Then, we often hear about bullying in schools and even on social media platforms. How many times a day do you find yourself looking down at your phone... Use your manners. The value of helping and supporting your neighbors, community, friends, and family has been at the top of our minds more than ever over the past few weeks and months. Offer to help clean up. Think about your daily routine, and imagine how you can boost the spirits of the people you see along the way. Hold the door open for someone who has their arms full. Kindness can be as simple as holding the door open for someone at the grocery store. Some days it’s nice just to slow down and take a break from all that is happening in our busy world and show some kindness. “In organizations, educational settings, and just everyday life, it’s important to highlight kindness, caring, and good social behavior,” says Jung. Go out of your way to communicate with each employee. Win-win. Oswalt tweeted an anti-Trump sentiment (as he’s known to do). Ages: 6-10 ½ | Takes: 45 mins Run this activity What would you add to this list of ideas to spread kindness? If someone makes a mistake and seems genuinely apologetic, give them a break for simply being human. Speak to someone who appears to be lonely. Let someone in a hurry cut you in line at the store. In a world plagued by almost daily mass shootings and bad role models in positions of power, we can’t just sit back and let things continue to happen as they are. I get anxious thinking about how my words might be misconstrued and the fact that logic doesn’t seem to be enough to convince someone on the other side to see my point. A great way to show yourself kindness is by cleaning your personal space! Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. All that said, I still find myself getting lost in the act of reading contentious comment sections, engaging in an endless scroll, and wasting time that could be better spent doing literally anything else. Required fields are marked. She is a content provider for many online sites and a virtual assistance. 11. 2. Show your appreciation by spreading your wealth of knowledge or taking the time to truly listen during your next meeting. Show a random act of appreciation for someone you care about. Leave a thoughtful comment on someone else’s blog content to show appreciation for the work that went into creating an article. Use these Kindness Conversation Starters to talk about kind behavior, emotions, and ways of spreading joy to others. Smile when you make eye contact with someone (anyone). Family owned and operated in the heart of downtown Petoskey, Michigan, specializing in Petoskey Stones, mixed stone jewelry, Minnetonka Moccasins, Michigan merchandise, Pendleton, and much more. Map kindness in your local community considering how you can show kindness to those who need it and encourage others to do the same. 99 Simple Ways to Show Kindness. Grandpa Shorter’s Gifts is Petoskey’s original souvenir store, since 1946. Hold the door open. Get our daily newsletter from SEJ's Founder Loren Baker about the latest news in the industry! But when it comes to connecting with strangers online, social networks tend to inspire more negative than positive energy. It is a human instinct to be kind and compassionate toward others. Petoskey Word Search – A Fun Local Activity, Sommer Poquette | Keep it Real Social LLC. Volunteer, be involved, share your resources and talents, and connect with younger and older community members alike in ways that uplift and inspire. Your email address will not be published. Hold doors open for others. We have developed 19 Acts of Kindness you can do with your family to show that as a community, we can still be a positive and joyful influence—together, even when we are apart. Put your phone away, and give people your full attention when you’re with them. Own road to success to communicate with each employee can host a socially BBQ! €¦ pay compliments and smile at people you are approachable and receptive Small ways to show yourself is! That genuinely helps people, based on your own caring/kindness book * shows. Larger impact than people realize.” get the science of a smile started in high school employee who you... 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