Random acts of kindness are spontaneous efforts that influence unsuspecting recipients. They are generally considered “random” because they aren’t usually planned ahead of time. They are a way of seizing an opportunity, at the moment, to do something kind for someone else. A random act of kindness means seeing a need and filling it at that moment, whether someone is looking or not.
You’ve certainly heard stories about people in the coffee-shop drive-thru paying for the drinks of the cars behind them. People who practice random acts of kindness are out to make a difference in the lives of people they likely don’t know personally. Their hope is to generate momentum and create a chain of kindness that continues to ripple forth.
Some people are intentional about being kind; though their activity seems random, it is in fact well thought out. They take effort ahead of time to prepare their kindness, usually by putting together trinkets or gestures that will make an impact for others.
One woman, who wanted to encourage healthy eating, hid $10.00 bills in the produce section of her local grocery store. She wanted to reward and assist people who were looking to buy fresh, healthy food. Another woman kept gallon-sized bags in her car filled with socks, travel-size hygiene items, and a $5.00 bill for when she encountered someone in need.
Each of these women had a passion for the well-being of others and turned that passion into a way to share a kind act to make an impact in a space that mattered to them. All it took was some ingenuity and the desire to be an anonymous donor of kindness.
Other ways to share your kindness randomly:
- Leave coupons for discounts under certain items at the grocery store
- Pay for the meal of a young family in a restaurant
- Tuck a note of encouragement onto someone’s windshield
- Anonymously leave a coffee card for a new dad on his desk at work
- Offer to babysit for a single mom
- Send your child’s teacher a gift in the middle of the week for no reason
Whether calculated or spontaneous, acts of kindness are great ways to extend your grace, encouragement, and love. You never know when you might have the urge or the nudge to act to make someone’s day. Go with it – and enjoy the impact you have. Make random acts of kindness part of your practice wherever you go. You never know, you might turn out to be the recipient of a random act of kindness yourself!