Try a little kindness

There's a lot of negativity in the world right now. Between politics and the violence breaking out everywhere, tension seems to be the overwhelming mood. I see it online and when I'm out and about in my community.

It makes me uncomfortable.
It makes me sad.
It makes me worried.

You may not know this about me, but I tend to be a fixer. When something is broken, I want to fix it. When someone is upset, I want to help them.

I know I can't fix all the problems of the world, but I know I'm not completely helpless. There are a lot of things I can do to counter the negativity weighing on everyone.

I can ...

... pay a compliment to a stranger/acquaintance.
I've already started doing this, offering praise when someone does a good job or a kind word if someone has a cute outfit or hairstyle that day. It's a small thing that costs me nothing but might make that person's entire day.

... buy coffee for the person behind me in line.
This is a tried and true way of paying it forward. I love when I get into one of these chains.

... give an extra generous tip to my server.
I'm already a good tipper (rarely below 30 percent), but occasionally, I just like to throw an extra 10 or 20 percent out there.

... give a gift to someone for no reason.
It might be something as simple as a $5 Starbucks gift card or a bag of their favorite snack. Surprises can be nice and generate good feelings.

... donate to a local charity.
I've been meaning to support the local animal causes for a while. I just need to look up their web site and see what they're needing right now -- food, treats, toys, etc. -- and then go pick it up and drop it off at the shelter. It'll take very little time and probably won't cost me that much, but some furry friends will definitely enjoy it. And right now, animals are easier to love than people.

These small deeds might not seem like much, but they have the power to start a wave of good feelings. And I'm not being completely unselfish either. Each one of these things will make me feel good as well.  After all, it starts with me.

Crazy how relevant this song still is almost 30 years later. 


What kinds of things do you do to help spread good vibes?