Dec 11 Weekly Challenge: Random Acts of Kindness
themedalist
Posts: 3,218 Member
Theme: Greater Happiness
Challenge: Random Acts of Kindness
I always enjoy putting together our weekly challenges. I enjoy reading up on the topics and finding resources that I think will be helpful to you. I like learning more about almost anything.
I’ve especially enjoyed assembling this week’s challenge — Random Acts of Kindness. The stories of people doing thoughtful, caring acts simply because they felt it was the right thing to do are heartwarming and uplifting. And they’ve motivated me to do my own random acts. I’ve got lots of ideas percolating!
Random acts of kindness don’t have to be complicated, nor cost any money. Simple gestures are always appreciated. And these thoughtful acts are in perfect keeping with the holiday season.
This Week’s Challenge:
Look for opportunities over the next two weeks to do your own random acts of kindness. The images below have lots of ideas. Please share your random acts with us, if you are so inclined.
If you’ve received a random act of kindness in the past that just made your day, please share that too. And if you had an opportunity to do a random act for someone else that was memorable to you, please share that as well. We can’t have too many great stories!
Just a reminder that this is our last weekly challenge for 2017. Recognizing this is an especially busy time of year, I thought it made sense to make this a two week challenge. I will post the January schedule of events the last week of December.
H ave a peaceful and joyful holiday season!
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Suggested Resources:
24 Stories About the Touching Kindness of Strangers That’ll Make You Tear Up:
https://www.rd.com/true-stories/inspiring/kindness-strangers/
As You Scroll Through These 47 Photos, Something Will Become Very Clear. And Everyone Should See It.
http://boredomtherapy.com/random-acts-of-kindness/
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Good Morning!
What a perfect challenge to end 2017!! As time goes by, it seems people get "harder" and doing something kind may just "soften" them up. 
Recently, I did do something, just because. On Thanksgiving, my family decided to eat "out". Cracker Barrel Restaurant was open for business that day, so we decided to eat there, instead of being in the kitchen all day cooking and then cleaning up the mess. As we sat there enjoying our meal and each other's company, a young woman, (college student), sat down at a table next to us. At first we didn't think much about it, figuring she was waiting on someone to join her. Well, as it turned out, she was alone, but by the time we realized it, we were finishing our meal and in the process of getting our "check" to pay our meal. Well, my husband and I decided to pay for her meal when we paid for ours. She was so surprised and thankful and it brought a big smile to her face. Come to find out she was here in Baton Rouge, La. going to college and was from New Hampshire!! We were all happy we were able to help her, even though she didn't ask for it.
And one more thing....this morning, I came into to work and found a Wolf Calendar on my chair for 2018. I was soooo excited. One of my dear friends saw it in the store over the week end and thought of me, for I have a passion for anything wolves, so she bought it for me. Pay it forward is always so rewarding. Hope you all have a wonderful Monday!
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Paying for that student’s meal was a lovely thing to do, @SilverSheWolf55. I know she appreciated it, especially on Thanksgiving. And what a surprise to come to work and see a Wolf Calendar on your chair! I’m sure that made your day.
Thanks for sharing these Random Acts of Kindness!2 -
Love this challenge. With all that is going on in the world, we could sure use some kindness. Great gesture @SilverSheWolf55 !!! I bet you made her day.
This week I went to a grocery store and returned some items and got some cash back. So I walked towards the front of the store and gave it to a homeless lady that always stands there asking for money. I was there chatting with her for like 15 minutes. I had not seen her in a while and I was happy to see her. It turned out she had been sick and since the weather took a turn for the cold here in FL, she did not want to get worst so she stayed in camp.
This Friday I plan on getting gift cards for the garbage collectors that come to my community. I have never done it before, but since I do not buy presents for family members, I figured I spend some money on those people who make where I live a better place.
I am always saying "Yes" to donate a dollar to charities at the cash register..hahah Funny it is here on your post Denise. Lots of great ideas! Thanks for ending the year on a positive note!4 -
This morning I did a random act of kindness and didn't actually realize til I'd done it. I was at the McDonald's drive-thru and I felt a prompting in my spirit to pay for the vehicle behind me. So I did. It felt good, and then as I drove away, I realized I'd met this weeks challenge. Bonus!
@SilverSheWolf55 and @prgirl39mfp - you both have beautiful hearts! Thank you @themedalist for the challenge! Merry Christmas to all!3 -
I love this challenge! perfect way to end out the year. I agree with @prgirl39mfp in that the world could use more kindness, I often list "Perform one random act of kindness" in my daily goals, but sometimes don't feel like I did it and then I see your lists and I do so many of them without even thinking that it made me smile! I was doing them and didn't even realize it. I always leave change in vending machines. I remember being a kid and getting so excited to find an extra 50 cents! I let people go in front of me in lines often, especially if I have a lot and they have a few items. Compliment someone...boy does that put a smile on a person's face when you tell then how pretty the color of their jacket is on them. And there were several others that I don't even remember right now.
I'm excited to read through these lists later and find more. I really feel that if everyone took a minute out of their day to smile, say hello, open a door for someone, compliment another person....wouldn't this be a wonderful world? 2 -
MmamabearR wrote: »This morning I did a random act of kindness and didn't actually realize til I'd done it. I was at the McDonald's drive-thru and I felt a prompting in my spirit to pay for the vehicle behind me. So I did. It felt good, and then as I drove away, I realized I'd met this weeks challenge. Bonus!
@SilverSheWolf55 and @prgirl39mfp - you both have beautiful hearts! Thank you @themedalist for the challenge! Merry Christmas to all!
I love this! You were moved to do a thoughtful act and and then realized you had checked the box for this week’s challenge. Way to go, @MmamabearR!
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OConnell5483 wrote: »I love this challenge! perfect way to end out the year. I agree with @prgirl39mfp in that the world could use more kindness, I often list "Perform one random act of kindness" in my daily goals, but sometimes don't feel like I did it and then I see your lists and I do so many of them without even thinking that it made me smile! I was doing them and didn't even realize it. I always leave change in vending machines. I remember being a kid and getting so excited to find an extra 50 cents! I let people go in front of me in lines often, especially if I have a lot and they have a few items. Compliment someone...boy does that put a smile on a person's face when you tell then how pretty the color of their jacket is on them. And there were several others that I don't even remember right now.
I'm excited to read through these lists later and find more. I really feel that if everyone took a minute out of their day to smile, say hello, open a door for someone, compliment another person....wouldn't this be a wonderful world?
Couldn’t agree more! If everyone took a minute to give a stranger an encouraging gesture we’d have a much different world, @OConnell54831 -
I have to admit I’m struggling a bit with this week’s challenge. Since I’m still recuperating from surgery, I’m not going into work or running errands. I’ve been thinking it’s hard to do a kind act for someone if I don’t see anyone during the day.
C’mon, Denise. Try harder. There are lots of opportunities. So today I made an online donation to a wonderful organization that addresses childhood hunger and tomorrow I’m calling a former colleague who I sense could use support and a good listener.
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themedalist wrote: »I have to admit I’m struggling a bit with this week’s challenge. Since I’m still recuperating from surgery, I’m not going into work or running errands. I’ve been thinking it’s hard to do a kind act for someone if I don’t see anyone during the day.
C’mon, Denise. Try harder. There are lots of opportunities. So today I made an online donation to a wonderful organization that addresses childhood hunger and tomorrow I’m calling a former colleague who I sense could use support and a good listener.
Denise, whether you know it or not, the inspiration you give us daily, the pats on the back, the goals and references you come up with...,those are HUGE acts of kindness!
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Thank you, @OConnell5483. I appreciate that a lot!2
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Just went to Walmart. They had sales galore. While I was gathering my bags, the man behind me put 2 obvious Xmas gifts on the belt, said "before you ring them up, can you tell me how much they will be with tax. I only have $X.XX." The clerk rang it up and he was about a dime short.
Because of this post and trying to think what I could do, I just laid a dollar on the counter. He and the clerk both said "Thank you".
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Sorry I have been missing this week. I have been enjoying reading all your great posts, but haven't had time to write anything myself yet.
I do try to do random acts of kindness regularly. It is one of my rules for myself that if I think that someone looks nice or does something well, that I make a point of complimenting them. I also smile at random strangers and say "Good morning/ day/evening." Spreading a little sunshine is good for everyone.
I work in the tutoring lab at a college, and we have a dispenser for print cards so that students can print their homework from the computers. The dispenser only takes $1 bills, and the cash machine on campus only gives $10 bills. Students these days carry very little cash. I always load my wallet with ones, and if the student has no change I just give them the dollar.
This week, my SIL had emergency surgery, so most of my kind acts this week were focused on helping out my family. Sitting with my daughter while her hubby was in surgery, running errands for her, and caring for my grandkids took up most of my kind acts were not random, but focused on family.
I did still smile and wish folks a good day. I also threw a donation in the Salvation Army bucket once this week.4 -
I am so happy to have read this today. You are all inspiring me to continue. Thanks everyone for taking some time and think about someone else. We all have our struggles and it is always nice to know someone cares.
I always take some time and check on my friends here on MFP. The ones that have been out of the site for a while. I send a quick " Hello" or " Miss you" message and you will not believe that 85% of the time I get a response and that persons is going through something. Makes me happy. Also if you are on FB, do it as well. Always reach out and say hello, let them know you are thinking of them.2 -
Today I was on the receiving end of a random act of kindness. Coming out of Costco this morning with a overloaded flat, my purchases started falling off when I hit those cart-stopping bumps which seem installed for the sole purpose of shaking items from overloaded flats. A kind young lady jumped out of her car and helped me reload my cart and get past that last set of bumps. 3
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Merry Christmas Everyone!3
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Merry Christmas!!! 3
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I really love this idea as we close out 2017. I went to Bath and Body Works the day before Christmas and left a coupon for $10 off on a display rack for someone to pick up. Later that day, I went to the grocery store and as I was picking up orange juice, I noticed that someone left a coupon for $1 off. It made my day!5
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Well done, @bluheron_81! I know your coupon was an unexpected surprise for the lucky person who found it. And I’m not surprised you were then the recipient of someone else’s random act of kindness.0
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I have really enjoyed reading your stories and I have one of my own to share. It happened about a year ago.
Sometimes we are in a situation where we just know what the right thing to do is. I work at a university and one of the services our lab provides is large size poster printing for students. In the spring, many students present their research studies at an undergraduate and graduate research conference we have on campus. Hundreds of students come in during this three week period to get their posters printed.
One day, a senior nursing student came in to get her poster printed. She was under the impression that her department was going to cover the $40 printing cost, and although we checked, that wasn’t the case. She would have to cover the expense herself. I could tell from the expression on her face that $40 was a lot and she hadn’t planned on this expense. $40 is the food budget to a lot of college students.
I knew instantly what I needed to do. I told her I was going to pay for her poster and then I told her why.
When I was in labor with my daughter many years ago, my uneventful pregnancy and delivery took a very scary turn. My daughter’s heart rate plummeted and she was in danger. Thankfully, a very attentive nurse was staring at the fetal monitor and within seconds she called it and sounded the silent alarm. People started running into my hospital room and equipment started flying out of the cabinets behind my bed. Within seconds, they stabilized the situation and Kelsey was no longer in danger. They think that her umbilical cord had wrapped around her neck.
Were it not for that wonderful attentive nurse, I could have had a much different outcome. I’ve never forgotten her, and I’ve tried to thank every nurse I’ve met since then. Nurses are the backbone of our health care system.
So naturally, I was delighted to pay for this student nurse’s poster. She was so happy she started crying. And the icing on the cake? She told me she was going to specialize as a neo-natal nurse! That’s just perfect...she’ll be helping lots of newborns and new moms!4 -
Happy New Year 2018!
I really enjoyed this challenge. So I had decided to just carry it through purposely to the end of the year.
Holding the door open for the next person to walk through has been one that I end up doing often. And it seemed to be appreciated even more when I greeted the person passing through with a cheerful "good morning" or "Merry Christmas" for example.
I often get surprised thank-you's or a greeting back. But the best response was at our local post office nearing Christmas when I was leaving after mailing a package. I purposely waited a few moments for this woman to walk up to the door and held it open for her. She smiled really big and told me "thank you", and then stopped and turned back around to tell me that she appreciated me holding the door for her so much that she was going to be sure to pass the kindness on to another person. Now that is paying it forward!
I sometimes purposely look for ways to pass on Random Acts of Kindness in the grocery store. Opportunities are abundant sometimes in that environment, especially during the holidays. Letting someone go ahead in line. Helping someone with unloading their cart when they are struggling to get it done with several children in tow. Paying a little extra cash for someone when they turn up a bit short of cash at the end of their order. Sincerely complimenting someone on something, especially when they seem to be really tired or stressed out while in line. It seems to really brighten their moment.
Making funny faces, or winking at, or playing peek-a-boo with a little one to distract them form crying while the mom is trying to get through the checkout line. Then she suddenly realizes the child isn't crying and she smiles also.
Often the person will share something with me when I'm able to do something kind for them.
Recently I was helping unload some heavier things from the back of the grocery cart, and also from the husband's motorized cart's basket, when the elderly woman told me that her husband with her had just had another chemo treatment that morning, and then the man tells me that his wife was really tired from being with him all morning at the hospital, and now had to stop by the grocery store afterwards. I had no idea that doing this little bit for them would be mean that much to them.
Another time I helped a woman behind me put some of her things on the checkout area while waiting for my brother to get through paying for his groceries. She told me that she was 86 years old and still driving! She told me that she was shopping for some extras because all the family was coming to her house for the holiday dinner. We were talking about how old her children were, and she said that one of her son's was about my age after asking me how old I was, and that she could be my mother Then she told me the secret to her being in good health was enjoying her now large extended family with all the grands and great grand children, eating well, and especially not eating sugar! She told me to make sure I stay off of the sugar 
She said that she was in great health except for a touch of arthritis pain in one knee that started recently. She was really precious! I want to be that energetic when I grow up LOL.
Any way I loved this challenge. It made me more aware of the many opportunities when we can bless someone and brighten their day, but how often it seems to boomerang back and bless us also.
Great challenge for this month!
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Your post is just beautiful, @texasgardnr. It really shows how the simple act of opening the door for someone or helping them with groceries can have a disproportionately big impact. Some people carry burdens that are hard to imagine, such as watching a loved one go through chemo. A small act of kindness can make a world of difference to them.
I think we’ll be making Random Acts of Kindness the centerpiece of our December challenges.3 -
Great posts everyone! Love that this is the first thing I read today. How inspiring.
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themedalist wrote: »Your post is just beautiful, @texasgardnr. It really shows how the simple act of opening the door for someone or helping them with groceries can have a disproportionately big impact. Some people carry burdens that are hard to imagine, such as watching a loved one go through chemo. A small act of kindness can make a world of difference to them.
I think we’ll be making Random Acts of Kindness the centerpiece of our December challenges.
@themedalist, thank you for what you wrote! It seems that during December the heartaches or troubles can seem so much bigger with all the festivities and fun (real or contrived) seeming to be overshadowing the reality of pain. But not in the way that would seem to lessen it for that person.
I love the idea of 'making Random Acts of Kindness the centerpiece of our next December challenges' again. Great idea!!
blessings, :flowerforyou:
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