5 Types of Random Acts of Kindness

Have you ever pulled over to help someone who is having car trouble? How about offering to help a child that looks lost? It may not seam like much to you but to the ones on the receiving end it could mean the world.

You may never know what your one act of kindness could mean to them. They may thank you at the time but then you will part company. The question at hand is will they pay your act of kindness forward? Will they reach out and help someone else. You may never know. But what you will know is that you took the time to help someone.

So look around you and seek out those in need. They are all around you. Even if you don't see them there. Just by adding a smile to someones day it could turn them around from being sad to being happy. And not just happy for them selves but the type of happy that they want to spread to others.

Just like similar sites to this you may never know all the people that look at them. But if you put all you can into them they may reach out to place you can only imagine. And then touch someone and bring that much needed smile to their lips. So please read on and maybe just maybe you too will find a smile that you can pass onto someone you don't know.

1. Pay for the customer behind you who only has one item or more. This one comes in handy if they are a new parent just picking up an item for their new child or if they are a bit short of cash.
2. Let someone with fewer items ahead of you in line. Not all stores have the 7,15 or 20 items or less lines.
3. Bring in a cart or two. This helps the folks who are older or with kids. Not to mention if they're taken care of it will help to open up space for others to use.

1. Ask to speak with a supervisor to give the agent a kudos. There are a lot of normal calls that will come through at a call center. But once and a while you will get an agent on the line that goes above and beyond your expectations. I know those can be fare and few between but they do happen. When they do Ask to speak with a supervisor. Make sure you let the agent know it is not something that they did wrong. When the supervisor comes on the line let them know everything that this person had done to help you. Even if it seams small it still has a great impact on that agent and how they respond. In fact they can carry that feeling on to the next call. Its like by you giving a kudos you are helping to pay it forward.
2. Make the agent on the line laugh. I can't tell you the number of times I have waited for the other end of the line to pick up only to hear the agents voice seam a bit down. Or even better to hear them laughing. Either way it makes me want to see how many times I can get them to laugh. Again its a great way to brighten their day and give them the opportunity to carry that smile onto the next caller.
3. Sing to them. I am not kidding on this one. I have a bad habit to drop into tune. Sometimes they request it sometimes not. Most of the time I get a thank you and a good laugh or chuckle.

1. Offer to give a ride home when the keys get locked in the car. I admit that this happened to me. I had my young son with me and we came out of the bank only to see the keys still in the ignition and the doors locked. A complete stranger offered us a ride home. They did not ask how far it was just offered the ride. Luckily it was only a mile and all down hill. I left our son with the wife and they gave me a ride back up the hill. Red in the face all turned out well.
2. Pull over and change the tire on a car. This maybe the first time I used the term pay it forward. They wanted to know how to pay me for helping them and all I said was to pay it forward and if they see someone else in need to pull over and help them.
3. Use of jumper cables. You would be amazed the number of times those have come in handy. Not just for others but also for me.
4. Found a car and Close the door, hood , window or trunk. Turn off the lights or let someone know that they are on.

1. Bring a flower. This is a great thing for the receptionist. They are the first line that everyone goes through. If they are happy then angry customers don't stand a chance against them. As a side note this also a great one to surprise a bank teller with.
2. Leave a card. This is a great way to surprise someone. It could be on their desk or locker. You could leave it at the front desk so that it gets handed to them. Sometimes with this one you don't have to sign it just have an encouraging word to lift their spirits.
3. Walk in with donuts or ice cream . This one I have not done. But my boss has. That's where I got this wonderful suggestion from. Update I have brought in cheese cake for those on my team.

1. Mowing a lawn and not charging. This is something I have done more than once. In fact that is where the picture came from. I was going over to mow a friends lawn, as their mower had broken, and barely saw the fire hydrant. With my dad being a volunteer firefighter I know how important it is to keep those clear. No charge to the town and no charge to my friend.
2. Walk up and down a street and bring in trash and recycle bins for everyone. This is one my sons and I have done for a while now. It is a great way to pass the time waiting for the morning bus to arrive. In fact the neighbors son also has started doing this with us.

Which category do you fall into?

EdwardPhelan LM: I am definitely the one to bring in the Krispy kreme doughnuts! Great article!

ChocolateLily: I agree with Susan52. Also, as a young woman, some things make me nervous, like stopping on the road. I try to find things to help out that I know will be safe.

Susan Deppner: But sometimes I don't look as hard as I should!

That's a great way to pay it forward