100 Acts of Kindness 2019

In January, I committed to doing 100 acts of kindness this year. I dedicated Tuesday's Tips and Tricks to Acts of Kindness suggestions. It took me a whole month to get started, but on January 31, I made the choice to add the first act to my "completed" list. This brought me so much joy that I began to eagerly look for opportunities to perform acts of kindness and also to plan ways to add to my "completed" list.

Giving in to my natural tendency to think positive, I started my "Completed" list here back in January, believing that it would be a list 100 items long by December 31. Some acts, like praising a child to their parents so that the child can overhear, had such a great response and brought me so much joy that I tried to make it a habit. I learned that people need and appreciate encouragement and encouragement is easy to give if I only make the smallest effort to  look for opportunities to lift others up.

Other things, like collecting items for an animal shelter, having bags on hand to give to homeless/hungry folks and baking for my neighbors and co workers fell flat. Good intentions, but not very good follow thru. I really did have good intentions. 

My list didn't quite make 100. In complete transparency, while I did complete most, I did not complete every thing on the list below. Still, I like the list. I think it's full of good ideas and I think I'll try to complete it in 2020. Maybe I can even make it to 100. Maybe doing some things more than once... I suppose if its my list I can make the rules. We'll see how it turns out in 2020.

That being Said, here's my list

1. Put a surprise note in loved ones’ lunch, bookbag, car, etc.
2. Make care packages for homeless people and give them out.
3. Bake cookies for the office
4. Make breakfast for the office
5. Stop at a kid’s lemonade stand and buy a drink
6. Leave a 100% tip
7. Donate a small sum of $$ to a charity
8. Tweet or FB a genuine compliment to 3 people
9. Complement a parent on how well-behaved their child is
10. Cook a meal or do laundry for a friend who just had surgery
11. Donate an old piece of clothing when you get a new one
12. Write an old teacher to let them know they made a difference in your life
13. Compliment someone to their boss
14. Write someone a letter – on paper – and mail it
15. Give someone a book you think they’d like
16. Bring fun office supplies to liven up the the workday
17. Sincerely compliment your boss
18. Put a sticky note with a positive message on the restroom mirror
19. Compliment someone in front of others
20. Compliment your child in front of others.
21. Compliment your spouse in front of others
22. Frame a friend’s favorite quote and give it to them
23. Take baked goods to your neighbors
24. Compliment a stranger
25. Praise a child to their parents where the child can hear it
26. Give Chocolate
27. Bake a cake for the birthday person
28. Take coloring books and crayons to the pediatric wing
29. Send a thank you note to the police station and Fire station
30. Bake cookies and take them to the fire station and police station
31. Leave compliments on sticky notes
32. Leave a note on a public bathroom mirror that says “You’re Beautiful”
33. Write a letter or send a card to a child who could use some extra attention
34. Send a card to a friend
35. Leave money in the vending machine for someone
36. Give kid’s valentines cards to people in your office
37. “Here’s $20 for the next person in line” at the grocery
38.  Leave a positive sticky note on someone’s desk.
39.  Tell your boss how much you like working for them and why
40. Tell people how much you've learned from them
41. Tell people what you appreciate about them
42. Share overheard compliments
43. Check in with friends who have lost their mom or dad on Mothers/Fathers day
44. Cut out an article and share it with someone "I thought about you when I saw this"
45. Make a prayer book for someone. Record your prayers for them for a year.
46.  Check in with someone
47.  Buy food for a homeless person
48.  Involve your kids in community service
49. watch for pet food sales and donate to a local shelter
50. collect newspaper and used towels for an animal shelter