I was probably nine or ten years old. I was going back home from school and I carried a huge backpack with my notebooks. It was heavy and I was bored and tired. I had to cross a street that wasn’t usually busy. It wasn’t busy on that day either. However, I still had to pay attention and look if any cars were coming. I didn’t. My left foot was already stepping on the street when I heard a honk of a car and someone’s hand grabbed my hood and pulled me back on the sidewalk.
Someone saved my life that day! I don’t remember their face, but I remember that being good and helping others is an opportunity that could arise in less than a second.
I have this impression that empathy isn’t performing at its best lately. Do you have it too? At the beginning of the year I send out an email to all of my subscribers to encourage them to be kind and good throughout 2021 but it feels like more people need that reminder.
Why are kindness and helping others so important?
I bet you didn’t actually ask that question, it is more of a rhetorical one. However, helping others is especially important nowadays when we are encouraged to stay away from each other, to ignore each other’s needs, and to look after ourselves more than ever… And it is all okay until it is not.
Staying safe has nothing to do with becoming unkind.
And doing random acts of kindness has become as important as breathing lately.
Trust me, often you don’t have to leave the comfort of your home to help others, because helping others could happen in so many different ways. You just need to look for them.
So, today I offer you a huge list of 100 ways to help others around you and initiate kindness. Take notes of the ideas you love the most. Save this post to your Pinterest board so it sticks with you and you come back to it for inspiration again and again.
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100 Simple Ways To Help Others and Practice Kindness
1. Volunteer during clean-up day. Check the program for the next clean-up day in your area and sign up.
2. Volunteer in an animal shelter. Many shelters don’t even ask for food and resources. Sometimes the cats and dogs there just need a little attention.
3. Donate blood. It sounds scary but doing it may save someone’s life! Remember that you don’t have to donate your blood frequently, once a year is completely enough.
4. Donate the clothes and shoes you don’t use anymore. Even if you don’t have a donation center in your area you can look for one online.
5. Raise your kids to be kind. They’re the future of our world and it’s up to us to decide what kind of world do we want them to have.
6. Be respectful towards the elderly. Sometimes they might be too slow or annoying but remember that they’ve been through a lot.
7. Offer your seat in public transport to a pregnant woman. In many cases the vehicles have designated spots for pregnant women but if there aren’t make sure to offer yours.
8. Listen to your friends when they need advice. Too often helping someone might simply mean listening to their life struggles.
9. Be patient with homeless people on the streets. In fact, help them if you see they are in need.
10. Engage in charity. Look for options online.
11. Always keep some pet food around for strays. Many times I happen to see stray dogs on our street, and I always give them a bawl of my dog’s kibbles. It breaks my heart to see them scared and hungry, so I do the little I can.
12. Always leave a tip. No matter if it’s for your housekeeper, a bartender, or a butler. A dollar for you isn’t much but for them, it might mean a lot.
Creative ways to be kind today
13. Let others cut in front of you in traffic. I know, it is one of the most frustrating things that happen in the traffic, but by letting it go you do two things: firstly, you don’t let it ruin your day, and secondly, you might be helping someone who’s late for work or trying to get to a hospital.
14. Recycle plastics, bottles, and paper.
15. When you’re at a friend’s house help to do the dishes. They will most likely try to stop you, but you still have to do it.
16. Feed the ducks in your local park, especially during wintertime. Take your child or your sister’s daughter with you. I used to do this with my niece when we were living in the same town, and she loved it (the ducks loved it too).
17. Visit people in nursing and mental health facilities. They rarely have someone to talk to.
18. Donate to churches. Even if you’re not religious those institutions are meant to help the community and they need resources.
19. Reassure your friends when they feel insecure. That’s how you’ll keep people around. Send them an encouraging message or get them a self-care basket.
20. Encourage your kids to be kind to their less fortunate classmates. This is so important for changing the world starting with our youngest humans.
21. Prepare lunch or small snacks for the less fortunate kids in your children’s class.
22. Don’t forget to congratulate your friends, relatives, neighbors, and co-workers on their birthdays. Don’t rely on Facebook to remind you of their birthdays, note the dates in your planner or calendar, and send messages or call.
How to help someone
23. Express your appreciation towards your loved ones. Saying “I love you” or “I appreciate you” doesn’t take much effort but it makes the world of a difference.
24. Be your truest self and live your life according to how you feel like it. This will inspire others to do the same.
25. Always bring a reusable water bottle at hand. Avoiding plastic bottles has a huge impact on the environment. This is a good option if you don’t have one.
26. If you need to buy and use something made of plastic, recycle it.
27. Remember that prevention is better than recycling. Always keep a cloth bag with you in case you need to do some shopping.
28. Try to bike instead of driving everywhere.
29. Support small business owners and avoid buying products from big brands. Etsy is just one of the places you could use to find things you need.
30. Try to shop from local stores rather than supermarkets. Remember, those people feed families not shareholders.
31. Give a stranger a compliment. You might make their day better.
32. Talk to someone that looks excluded at a gathering. As an introvert who is socially awkward at every gathering, trust me – we appreciate that.
Different ways to help others
33. Keep an eye on your neighbor’s house when they’re away even if they didn’t ask you for it. Our neighbors do that every time we are away and it’s so heart-touching.
34. If any of your friends are single parents make sure to offer them your help. Even if they don’t ask for it, they need it.
35. Check up on your relatives without a reason. I know it sounds weird, but yeah, you don’t always need a reason to reach out to someone.
36. Donate your books that you’ve already read to the local library.
37. Pay for a hanging coffee. When you’re in a coffee shop pay in advance for a coffee that will be served to whoever can’t afford a hot drink.
38. Help your elderly neighbor with her heavy grocery bags up the stairs.
39. If you have a dog don’t forget to pick up after it. How does that help others? Well, imagine someone going for their morning run and accidentally stepping on… well, you get the point.
40. Offer your assistance to someone in a wheelchair.
41. Sign up to be an organ donor one day. This might save someone’s life.
42. Be a good listener.
43. If you have a negative experience with customer support try not to take out your frustrations on the person who answers the phone. I know it’s hard, but remember, they just do their job and follow pre-written scrips.
Ways to help others and show kindness
44. Tutor your kids and their classmates if they need help with schoolwork. This way you’ll help their parents as well.
45. Consider transitioning to meat alternatives or cutting down on meat consumption altogether. This isn’t just healthy for you but helps the environment and saves you money.
46. Take care of your pets and let them explore the world outside if you have the chance.
47. Foster a homeless kitty or a dog.
48. Be a careful driver especially on the highway.
49. Let children or shorter than you people stand in front of you at concerts.
50. Offer to help a neighbor with yard work.
51. Offer the neighbor kid to do some light work around your yard for extra cash.
52. Support your kids with their first lemonade stand.
53. If someone is struggling with a piece of luggage on the plane offer them your help.
54. Don’t litter.
55. Don’t be afraid to stand up for what you believe in. This will inspire others to do the same.
56. Don’t text while driving. This is simply dangerous. How do you help others by doing that? You help them reach where they’re heading.
57. Don’t ignore your friends when they’re texting you. Be the one to answer fast.
58. Avoid honking at traffic lights.
59. Talk to the cleaning staff at work.
Effortless ways to be a better person today
60. Help your older relatives and friends with technology. Yes, it’s frustrating that they can’t find the Space button, but see it as an opportunity to practice kindness and patience.
61. If you find money on the street don’t keep it for yourself. Donate it or give it to a homeless person. Pass on the miracle.
62. Don’t judge your closest people for their choices.
63. If your friend is struggling to find a job help them with their resume.
64. Carry some snacks in your car for homeless people on the street. Alternatively, if you see a homeless person on your way to the shop get them a sandwich and a coffee on the way out.
65. Let bicyclists go ahead of you.
66. Be tolerant of all ethnicities and religions. I didn’t think of putting that one here as it seems logical, but here it is, just in case someone else needs it as a reminder.
67. Don’t make fun of people. You don’t know all the battles that they might be struggling with.
68. If you see that someone’s having trouble with directions don’t hesitate to help them even if they don’t ask for it.
69. Volunteer in the local homeless shelter. This one is especially important around the winter holidays when homeless people are forced to spend them on the streets away from their families.
70. Clean up your coffee mug at work.
Helping others by being a better person yourself
71. Go to an elderly person’s house and do yardwork for them.
72. Give extra coupons away to people in need. You know you don’t use all of them anyway.
73. Don’t be nosy. Give your opinion only if it’s asked for.
74. Organize a rummage sale for charity. It doesn’t have to be anything big. A small donation might make a big difference.
75. Make dinner for a friend that’s going through a tough time. If you’re not into cooking, order takeout and spend time with them. Meals bring people together.
76. Make someone smile! Sometimes that’s enough to brighten up their day.
77. Offer to wash your neighbor’s car if they’re unable to do so.
78. Initiate a coupon swap at your office, where people can drop in and take out as needed.
79. Volunteer at your kid’s school. Offer them to manage some administration work.
80. Run errands for seniors. In many cases, elders won’t even admit they need help. That’s why you need to look past that and be helpful anyway. My grandmother used to say “You are coming after me and not the opposite”. That meant that one day I will be her age and then I will finally understand her fully.
Ways to help by being an example
81. Collect shopping carts when you’re done shopping. We all hate it when we see so many of them in the center of the parking lot. Be the one who does something about it.
82. Send letters or cards to military members serving the country. Express your appreciation for them.
83. Next time it snows, shovel your neighbor’s sidewalk along with yours. Do it regularly if your neighbor is an elderly person or a single mom.
84. Volunteer to read to children at the local kindergarten. It’s not only an act of kindness but it can also be incredibly rewarding.
85. Take your neighbor’s trash to the street on trash day. Especially if you see that they’re not home at the time the truck passes by.
86. Collect your children’s old toys and donate them to the local hospital.
87. Offer your help to the new co-worker. We all know how hard it can be to adapt to a new atmosphere. Be the one who goes the extra mile in making their first days easier.
88. Help someone by carrying their groceries to the car, especially if it’s an elderly person.
89. Knock on your neighbor’s door and just ask them if there is something you can do for them today.
Last ways to help others
90. Bake delicious cookies and take them to the local fire station. Firefighters are risking their lives for the community. They deserve a warm dessert for no occasion.
91. Be polite and give out compliments.
92. If you often have leftovers from canned food, donate it to the less fortunate.
93. Offer to cat/dog sit your friends’ pets when they’re out of town.
94. When you see a mother struggling with her child’s behavior in public, take a moment to say something kind to her. She will appreciate it and will feel less frustrated.
95. Offer a hot beverage to someone who’s feeling under the weather.
96. Have old magazines laying around your house? Drop them off at the nearest retirement home.
97. Teach someone a skill you are good at. And more importantly – do it free of charge.
98. Pay for someone’s meal at the drive-thru or restaurant. Do it anonymously.
99. Write a nice note to your partner or spouse. Put it in their coat so they find it on their way to work. It will make their day better and that will affect the way they interact with others. In this way, you’ve started a chain of good deeds.
100. Collect samples and freebies and take them to the less fortunate.
Conclusion to 100 Ways to Help and Be Kind
Which ones of these ways to help others sound like something achievable today? Make a small list with the best ideas and keep it close to you so you don’t forget to take action.
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100 Ways To Help Others
Blogger, dreamer, procrastinator, and lover of everything soul-touching. My mission is to make you laugh, provoke your thoughts, light up your day and inspire you to fall in love with life and yourself.