“It’s chaos, be kind.”
In Patton Oswalt’s Annihilation Netflix special, the comedian repeated the mantra of his late wife and author, Michelle McNamara. As McNamara believed, in an age of so much publicized horror and chaos, the best defense is to simply be kind to one another. On Nov. 13, 2017, like every year prior since 1998, nations like the United States, Canada, Japan, and Australia will observe World Kindness Day.
Spearheaded by the World Kindness Movement, World Kindness Day calls upon people to ignore the boundaries of race, gender, and religion that cause divides and appreciate one another. It doesn’t take much to be kind to another person, but for those looking to do more for World Kindness Day 2017, here are some different ways to celebrate.
Random Uplifting Notes
Avoid doing so to a degree that may be considered littering, but leaving uplifting notes around town is a surprisingly effective way of showing a stranger kindness. A popular spot to leave notes is at a library, usually at a random spot in a book.
The note doesn’t have to be anything elaborate and you can even use the online resource Gift of Kindness to print “kindness cards” to disperse.
It’s the Little Things
You don’t have to go all out to show kindness to someone. A simple “hello” can go a long way, especially for someone who doesn’t tend to get much attention.
In the workplace, your act of kindness can be so simple as being the one to clean the coffee maker, even if you don’t drink coffee. A small gesture can mean a lot to someone and can take little-to-no effort on your part.
Pay It Forward
If you have the extra cash, when you’re in the drive thru getting your morning cup of coffee, offer to pay for the person behind you. Not only is it a kind gesture, it may kick off a chain reaction of people “paying it forward”, or passing the act of kindness on to another.
It doesn’t even have to be a cup of coffee, either. Offer to pay for a person’s groceries and they may turn around and help fill someone’s tank at a gas station.
Donate to a Homeless Shelter or Food Banks
Sometimes basic acts of kindness don’t stretch far enough to reach those that really need it. People down on their luck and homeless are always in need of a little kindness.
Donating clothing to homeless shelters or food to food pantries can be a literal life saver and will help those that need it most.
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