Random Acts of Kindness

Sometimes it’s the smallest acts that make the biggest difference.

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February 17th is Random Acts of Kindness Day, the perfect opportunity to reconnect and reinvigorate. At the moment, life might be feeling a little less hopeful than usual; we’ve had many of our freedoms and chances for connection taken away from us. If you’re feeling isolated and disconnected, why not try putting some positivity back into the world?

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Although we don’t necessarily need a formal day to spread kindness, emphasising this day can help encourage us to break up our everyday routines and do something special for someone else.

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You never know what someone might be going through at any given moment. No matter how small your act may be, the impact might be immeasurable. The feeling of doing something kind for someone else might just shift your mindset too.

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Research has shown that doing something for someone else creates more feel-good chemicals than if someone did something for us. When we spread kindness to others, our bodies actually produce hormones such as serotonin, oxytocin and endorphins that can boost overall wellbeing and health.

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Small acts of kindness can also remind us that we are not alone. These can come in many forms, whether through big displays or small gestures, how you choose to be kind is up to you.

This Year, Get Creative

We may not be able to see people face to face, but we can still show people we care about them in other ways. An act of kindness can be as simple as checking in with someone, letting them know you’re thinking of them. You never know how much a seemingly insignificant message can change a person’s day. We all feel a bit alone and fed up at the moment; being kind reminds us we are in this together.

Some Pandemic-Friendly Acts of Kindness:

• Send a funny meme or memory over email or text - Receiving a reminder of a memory could remind someone that there is life outside the pandemic and that we will get to see each other soon. This could be the nudge of hope they needed to get through the day.
• Send flowers - To yourself or someone else, who doesn’t love receiving a spontaneous bunch of flowers?
• Leave a good review - Businesses right now are struggling; a good review can help.
• Gift your favourite book - Gifting someone your favourite book can feel like you are giving them a small glimpse of you, it can help you feel connected in times when you can’t see each other face to face.
• Help out in the kitchen - If someone in your family always does the cooking, why not offer to take over today, or simply offer to chop the veg, or do the washing up?
• Gift a class - This could be a breathwork class, or perhaps you have a friend or sibling who loves yoga or a HIIT session, this will undoubtedly brighten someone’s day.
• Be kind to the planet - Have a plant-based day, use a travel mug for your morning cup of coffee.
• Shop local - Smaller businesses are suffering, try offering support by choosing them over your local Tesco today.

Be Kind to You

As we are spending more time alone this year, what better an excuse than to be kind to ourselves? Only when we take care of ourselves can we truly begin to take care of others; you can’t give from an empty tank. Maybe today can be a day of self-care for you – run a bubble bath, cook yourself something you love, put you first.

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The list of things we can do for others and for ourselves is endless, and the effects are immeasurable. If you do just one kind thing today, we guarantee it will leave you feeling brighter and more connected than where you started.

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For more information on Random Acts of Kindness Day visit https://www.randomactsofkindness.org/kindness-ideas