Sometimes it’s the smallest act that makes the biggest impact – something as simple as saying please or thank you can turn a day around and make life seem that much better. Each year on February 17th, National Random Acts of Kindness Day grows in popularity. It is celebrated by individuals, groups and organizations nationwide to encourage acts of kindness.

The movement of Random Acts of Kindness inspires people every day. As a favorite celebration for many, people everywhere are enjoying doing these acts of kindness. Not only do the acts of kindness bring joy to the receiver, but they spread positive reactions to the giver, too!    

A Few Quotes of Kindness:

• “Kindness is a language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see.” (Mark Twain)
• “No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.” (Aesop)
• “Remember there’s no such thing as a small act of kindness. Every act creates a ripple with no logical end.” (Scott Adams)
• “Kind words and actions can seem so small, but their effects are truly endless.” (Author Unknown)

Make a note to do nice things throughout the day. Are you looking for ideas? We’ve collected a few that will get you started.

• Pay for the coffee or meal of the person in front of you in line.
• Leave a kind note for someone, no explanation needed.
• Share words of encouragement. You never know who might need them.
• Put your skills to work for someone in need. For example, offer to create a résumé for someone seeking a new job.
• Drop off a load of groceries at the local food pantry.
• Mail a “thinking of you” card to someone you’ve not to talk to in a while.
• Order a bouquet of flowers to be delivered to anyone in the hospital. That means, call the florist and tell them to pick a hospital or nursing home and deliver flowers to the person the front desk thinks needs it the most. It could be a sick child, an elderly person with no family or a college student down on their luck.
• Send a thank you note to the local fire department, police departments, or any military personnel.
• Just smile.

History of Random Acts of Kindness Day

Random Acts of Kindness Day was first created in Denver, Colorado in 1995 by a small nonprofit organization, the Random Acts of Kindness Foundation; nine years later it spread to New Zealand in 2004. Random Acts of Kindness can include just about anything, including something as simple a taking a tray of muffins to work.

The idea behind this holiday is to make the world a better place by spreading a little light around and to make kindness a part of our everyday lives. Lift someone up with your words, compliment them on their appearance… even the simplest acts can help to brighten someone’s day.

Although Random Acts of Kindness Day hasn’t been around all that long, kindness itself certainly has! In fact, various studies have concluded that kindness is an inherent part of human nature, with the ability to feel and care for others developing while we’re still babies.

The importance of altruism has long been a topic of discussion in the realms of philosophy, psychology, sociology, and evolutionary biology. There are various theories for why people gravitate towards benevolent behavior – perhaps it’s because doing good deeds for others increases the likelihood that they’ll return the favor if we ever need help in the future, perhaps kindness is hardwired into our brains to aid social attachment and group cohesion, perhaps it’s simply a product of our ability to feel empathy for others. Whatever kindness’s origins,

Random Acts of Kindness Day is a way to nurture and encourage this precious trait we all share.

~DaysOfTheYear.com