No matter if it's helping someone lift a heavy bag or letting someone cut in front of you in line, even small acts of kindness can have profound effects on our world and beyond. They make it feel safer and can have lasting repercussions that extend far beyond who was helped directly.
Spreading morning smiles is one of the easiest and most straightforward ways to bring joy and satisfaction to your family and the wider community.
1. Smile
Smiling is one of the easiest and most impactful acts of kindness we can perform. Smiling sends signals to the brain telling it everything is fine, helping boost our mood and immunity systems simultaneously.
As part of your morning practice, try smiling for 30 seconds or longer every morning. As you do this, imagine that a smile filled with warm energy is filling every cell of your body before relaxing into your heart and mind. While breathing deeply, notice any areas of tension or stress relaxing away; gently bring back focus when necessary.
Try smiling at coworkers, friends, and neighbors throughout the day - it will brighten their days as well as your own! Smiling could just be the best thing you do all week - check out some of our smile quotes to learn why this may be beneficial.
2. Say Thank You
Thanking someone goes a long way when it comes to showing kindness; oftentimes we forget just how powerful such small acts of generosity can be. It is easy to underestimate their power but thanking people is something we should all take part in doing more often!
Learn the names of office security guards, coworkers, and others you regularly see, and take time to address them by name when greeting them - they'll love it!
Leave a note for your significant other or friend detailing all the things they mean to you.
Pop-up cards make great thank-you gifts, whether it's to teachers, neighbors or your boss. Share thoughtful thank you notes with those battling cancer or another serious illness as an expression of appreciation - be sure to include an anecdote about their kindness or an example of it as part of the card message.
3. Do Something Nice
Kindness comes in many forms. Perhaps holding open the door or giving compliments are ways you can show kindness - your gesture could be all they receive in their day!
Studies have demonstrated that individuals who regularly engage in acts of kindness report greater life satisfaction, feel closer to others, and experience lower depression levels than those who don't take part. Doing kind acts stimulates oxytocin production which decreases anxiety levels while simultaneously lowering blood pressure.
Bring someone close to you a warm cup of coffee, send a card with an encouraging message or create their favorite dish - these simple gestures could show them you care! Or why not find a cause you care deeply about such as protecting emaciated bears or helping refugees and immigrants secure legal representation - and donate?
4. Say I Love You
An embrace, handshake, or smile can release oxytocin into our brains--the "love hormone." Expressing this emotion is one of the most meaningful acts of lovingkindness.
No matter the person it comes from, hearing "I love you" can make their day. But remembering what "love" really is can make all the difference; love is more than a fleeting feeling that takes effort and time to fully develop.
Spiritual thought leader and chief communications officer for Kabbalah Centre Monica Berg advises being brutally honest with yourself before speaking evocative words to ensure your motivations are truly genuine. Read more:
5. Share Your Talents
Sharing your talents - such as cooking, painting, singing or dancing - with others is an easy way to make them happy while helping yourself feel healthier and stronger.
If you're standing in line at the grocery store and notice someone behind you only has a few items, offer to let them pass ahead of you as this small act of kindness will likely bring joy and will hopefully prompt them to spread good deeds themselves.
Kim, the founder of Icing Smiles, finds great satisfaction in seeing the joy on a child's face when receiving a special cake from Icing Smiles. Read here about how she and her team are spreading smiles to children in need through Icing Smiles; watch how NBC Philadelphia covered their organization!
6. Make a Gift
When someone is experiencing difficulty, all they want to know is that someone cares. With just a smile or heartwarming words of support from you, all it takes for that to become reality.
Giving someone you care for an inspiring morning message can make an incredibly impactful statement and set their day off right! From cute or humorous greetings to supportive ones, giving thoughtful greetings can truly change their day. Here are a few great morning quotes that will kickstart their day right.
Spread the joy of morning smiles by subscribing to our fun daily email with top uplifting news and stories! Click here and sign up - it only takes one minute! Plus, you could win an awesome free t-shirt! You have nothing to lose and everything to gain by subscribing; why wait any longer - grab it today!
7. Write a Letter
Smiles bring people joy, as well as make others feel loved and accepted, which is why it is essential to share them with those close to us and beyond.
Letter writing may seem to have fallen by the wayside, but statistics demonstrate it's making a comeback. Stationery company Papier saw its notecard and writing paper sales rise by 300 percent year-on-year in 2020 alone! Additionally, TikTok #penpal hashtag and communities connect Gen Zers with snail mail through snail-mail correspondence.
Sending thoughtful morning smiles begins by writing something romantic, sweet, or funny for someone special in your life - be it their significant other, children, or BFF. Not only will it show them you care but perhaps this act could even spark romance!
8. Share Praise for a Teacher
Teachers are the unsung heroes of society. They work tirelessly to educate, inspire and guide us - so this Teacher Appreciation Week make sure you express your thanks by showing appreciation. Be sure to thank your child's teacher by offering an expression of thanks or sharing an anecdote about her/him!
Praise is one of the easiest classroom behavior strategies and has been linked to student academic performance. Additionally, research indicates it to be more effective than teacher reprimands at encouraging positive behaviors within classroom environments.
However, it's essential that when giving praise, it should be specific and tailored specifically to each child. General statements like "good job" might not mean as much and can discourage other behaviors from occurring. Also, only acknowledging high achievers could send the message that certain groups of children are less capable than others; affirming all students is key!
9. Help a Neighbor
Start your day right by giving someone an encouraging smile in the morning - it could make all of the difference in their happiness levels!
Helping a neighbor is the ultimate way to spread Morning Smile!
There are so many ways you can support your neighbors. From helping someone cut in line at the grocery store to collecting their trash cans for them - there are so many opportunities available to you to assist your community members!
As the coronavirus pandemic spreads, it's imperative that we reach out and show kindness towards our neighbors. Check out Nextdoor's Help Map to see how you can be helpful to them and use our mobile app to stay in contact during this epidemic.
10. Donate
No matter your level of authority or status in life, every day there are ways you can contribute back to your community. Consider buying someone in line at the coffee shop a drink, or giving someone who's crying on an airplane some travel-size tissues (this could save their embarrassment!). These simple actions could go a long way towards improving life for everyone involved.
Donate food and blood donations, especially around holidays. Blood banks always need donations; even if needle phobia is a concern, you can still help out by volunteering your time for donations.
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