After the holidays are over, most of us don't even want to think about giving anymore. But what if I told you spreading the gift of kindness costs nothing at all? Being merry and jolly doesn't have to be a holiday only event—it should be in your heart year-round. Here are seven ways to help spread kindness even after the holiday season (and no, they won't cost you any money).
I pulled up beside a man in a brown coat. He was holding a sign that said, “Even a smile helps.” I looked him in the eye and smiled a big smile, pulled over and asked him how he was doing. He looked at me and said, “It could be better and it could be worse.” I reached into my pocket and grabbed the money I had and handed it to him. As I did, another man drove by and in disgust told me I was wrong for helping the man in the brown coat, that he would likely buy drugs or alcohol.
I propose a challenge to you, dear reader: take time to be kind to someone for absolutely no reason and without any expectation of return. Do this for one whole month and see how it affects or changes you and those around you. It is the simple acts of kindness that spread positivity throughout the world. A smile can be contagious and it spreads like jam over a warm piece of toast.
As one of nearly 7.5 billion people who inhabit Earth, you should ask yourself whether or not you’re doing anything to make your time here meaningful. It’s important to leave your mark (and I’m definitely not talking about a huge carbon footprint) as a way to pay thanks. What I mean is to pay it forward and do your best to earn good karma. Luckily, there are numerous small acts that you can follow through with, in order to pay your rent here on Earth, so to speak.