Have you ever wondered how much better the world could be if we were all just a bit kinder?   What if global crises brought out the best in humanity instead of the worst? While that may sound a little kumbaya, there is no doubt that we could all use more happiness and a little less hate. So, why not set a goal for yourself and do one good deed each day during Human Kindness Week, celebrated from August 25th to August 31st? FirstLantic offers ten suggestions for ways that you can help to spread a little bit of goodwill.

 

  • Adopt a pet

You don’t have to limit your kindness to humans. Giving a pet a forever home is one way to open your heart. Roughly 6.5 million animals enter shelters each year, but only 3.2 million are adopted. And if you can’t adopt right now, why not consider fostering? Shelters always look for people who can give animals a temporary home until they get adopted, reducing the stress of living in a cage. The love you provide will be returned ten-fold.

 

  • Volunteer

Help at a community garden, work at a soup kitchen, or make phone calls to raise money for a charity. There is no shortage of organizations that could use a helping hand. And if you can’t find the time to volunteer, then donate to a cause that you are passionate about. Even $10.00 can make a difference.

 

  • Reach out to an old friend

Make a friend’s day by picking up the phone to see how they are. No agenda, just a good old-fashioned catch-up. Better yet, use Facetime or make it a Zoom call so that you can see each face to face. We often think about our friends but don’t always take the time to let them know how much we care about them.

 

  • Forgive and forget

Try to make amends for a disagreement. Whether it’s a relative, a co-worker, or an old acquaintance, put aside your anger and move on. Life is too short to hold a grudge, so don’t do it. Let go, and you will undoubtedly feel like a weight has been lifted off your shoulders.

 

  • Help a neighbor

If you live near someone who has difficulty getting out of their home, help them out. Whether that means offering to buy their groceries, bringing their trash cans down to the curb, or mowing their lawn, you will be doing a good deed for someone that is probably too proud to ask for your help.

 

  • Offer to babysit

Many new parents need a break, but spending money to go out and pay for a babysitter can be too costly for some couples. So, offer to give them some free time that is truly free because they won’t be paying for your help.

 

  • Pick up trash

Unfortunately, not everyone is respectful of the environment, so the rest of us must do our part to compensate for it. Taking a trash bag out while walking your dog in your neighborhood or a park is easy and makes a difference. Who knows, you might just motivate others to do the same.

 

  • Invite a co-worker for coffee

How often do you regularly see or interact with someone but never really get to know them? You might think you have nothing in common with them, so you don’t make an effort, but you won’t know if you don’t try. Invite them for coffee or lunch and try to go beyond the usual chit-chat about work.

 

  • Let someone else go first

If you’re at the grocery store or in your car, why not let someone get in front of you for no other reason than to be nice? You might be surprised at how appreciative the other person is simply because a stranger did something kind without expecting anything in return.

 

  • Pay it forward

The bottom line is that no matter what you do, the world will be better off if you perform a good deed. If each of us remembered to do something selfless even once a week, the world would be better off. Just remember, it never hurt anyone to be a little kinder.

 

To learn more about how FirstLantic Healthcare makes the world a kinder place, click here.

 

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