It's National Do Something Nice Day!
When I was a child and found myself feeling unhappy or perhaps feeling sorry for myself about one thing or another, the advice I would receive from my mom was, "Go find someone and do something nice for them!"
To my pleasure and also my surprise, when I followed her advice my day and my mood got a lot better! For anyone who was lucky enough to receive and follow this wisdom, you know what I am talking about. Helping someone else makes you feel great. As I grew, I continued this practice and find it capable of making even a very dark day brighter.
I've also found that when I do something nice for someone without their knowing who their benefactor was, it gives me a special sort of glee and excitement — which, I can only compare to the wonder and thrill I experienced as a child at Christmas time — the joy and pleasure derived from giving someone special, something from your heart.
Since today is "National Do Something Nice Day," here is an opportunity for everyone to have the excuse to experience this wonderful gift you give yourself by giving to someone else. It doesn't have to be some enormous gesture — just something nice. As you go through your day you will likely find dozens, if not hundreds, of opportunities. Make the most of these, and if you find, as I have, that doing so made YOUR day brighter, perhaps you can make it an everyday habit. I mean why wait a whole year for something that will make you feel so good?!
IT COULD GO VIRAL
This doesn't mean take credit for being nice, just do it and you might even find that those around you will pick up the habit as well. Who knows? It might even go "VIRAL." Just imagine for a moment what a world we would have if everyone on it was doing something nice for at least one person every single day! Today is a great day to start the trend. What nice things will you do? Here is a starter list, but there is no end to the ideas. You may even find you gain pleasure from just pondering on nice things you can do.
- Pay for someone’s coffee behind you in line.
- Pick up something someone dropped by you.
- Reach something off the shelf that someone else can't.
- Holding the door for someone.
- Lend a hand to someone who looks like they’re struggling.
- Offer to do yard work for an elderly person.
- Visit a nursing home and talk to someone who’s lonely.
- Give extra coupons away.
- Donate your clothes you no longer wear.
- Say “thank you” and mean it, feel it.
- Smile at everyone you see
- Listen to someone’s story.
- Donate food to a homeless shelter.
- Volunteer at an animal shelter.
- Send letters to those in our military.
- Donate your freebies.
- Rake leaves in the Fall for someone.
- Carry someone’s groceries.
- Bake cookies for your local police or fire stations.
- Compliment a stranger.
- Donate books you will no longer read.
- Make cards for cancer patients.
- Take your neighbor’s trash to the curb for them.
- Read to children.
- Let the person behind in line you go first.
- Offer to take someone’s shift if you’re available.
- Pass your morning paper to someone else that would enjoy reading it.
- Donate used luggage to foster kids.
- Fold your roommate’s laundry for them.
- Make an extra lunch for a homeless person.
- Ask someone how their day is going and genuinely listen to their response.
- Help someone struggling to reach something on the top shelf.
- Fix your neighbor a meal.
"Do Something Nice Today!"
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#NationalDoSomethingNiceDay
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