Negativity and fear are too common in our lives lately. So it is time to bring the sunshine from behind the gloomy clouds. It’s time to celebrate the power of kindness and put a smile on somebody’s face. No act is too small, especially for National Give Something Away Day on July 15th. Although the purpose of the day is to give something away, you don’t have to do anything over the top or expensive. The point of the holiday is to share some kindness and highlight the power of giving.
Donating old items to thrift stores and volunteering at local shelters are the usual ideas. However, the current pandemic may limit those activities. After all, sharing germs is not as fun as sharing positivity. There are plenty of other ways you can take part though. Here are a few ways to celebrate National Give Something Away Day:
Pay It Forward
You may have seen news stories about this happening in drive-thrus, but your action doesn’t have to start an 11-hour trend for it to be wonderful. If you’re grabbing your morning coffee or a quick lunch, offer to pay for the person behind you. It’s a small, sweet gesture, but it is impactful. It would surprise you at how long it trickles through the line. Sometimes it causes a chain reaction of kindness. It doesn’t have to be exactly food or drinks, though. You can cover somebody’s gas or even their items at Home Depot too.
Share Your Favorites
Sharing something that you love with someone not only makes you feel good — it helps you create a closer bond with the person. It can be your favorite book, album, or movie. You can use sites like Amazon to order and send a copy of the item to the person since lending out or giving away things is a little risky right now.
It doesn’t have to be a tangible item though. You can send something simple like your favorite playlist on Spotify or the link to your favorite audiobook. If the person is a foodie, sharing your favorite recipes might put a smile on his or her face. Moreover, everybody has dealt with being bored at home so you could share your new quarantine hobbies as well.
Give Simple Compliments
The best things you can give a person don’t cost you a cent. Compliments are always free and appreciated. Compliments barely take up a minute of your day and can make someone else’s entire day. Whether it is a stranger or somebody you know, keep it short and sweet. A few examples are “You have a nice smile,” “That hairstyle looks great on you,” or “You’re doing a great job today.” You can always give a smile instead of a compliment if you are uncomfortable with talking to strangers. After all, smiles are more impactful than people realize. A person could be having a rough day, and receiving a kind smile from a kind stranger like you could turn their day around.
It is extremely easy to make the most out of National Give Something Away Day. Maybe it will be a great starting point for new, kind habits and supportive friendships.
How do you like to give to others? Tell us in the comments!
Photo by Dan Meyers on Unsplash
