What may be one of the most underrated occurrences in daily life are small acts of kindness from strangers. These small, positive interactions have added bright spots to an ordinary day – I typically walk away with a smile and a good attitude from those moments, and I’m therefore making it my goal to better appreciate them.
I’m talking about really small things. For example…
1) being remembered by the barista at Starbucks (3 months after our initial encounter!)
2) man giving up his seat on a crowded airport shuttle bus so I can sit down
3) receiving unsolicited help putting my luggage in an overhead bin
4) a pleasant conversation with a bus driver who clearly makes it his mission to help people have a better day
I also enjoy hearing about friends who are on the receiving (or giving) end of small acts of kindness – it’s a good reminder to think selflessly in everything you do. As such, I do try to be a ‘giver.’ And, I think one way I can be a better ‘giver’ is through better appreciation of the kindness others show toward me. Day in and day out, I’m on the receiving end of random acts of kindness, and I often overlook them – failing to let another’s kindness lift my spirit because I’m too self-involved, wrapped up in my own stresses, worries, and agenda to notice.
The benefit of having a keen eye for kindness is two-fold, I believe.
First, by acknowledging someone else’s kindness, you’ve already begun the process of paying their kindness forward. Think about when you’ve shown kindness to someone else – particularly a stranger. Usually, when you get that big smile or that genuine ‘thank you!’, doesn’t it make your day?
Second, making note of others’ kindness toward you each day makes it very difficult to complain. In essence, it inspires you to focus on the good; the positive; the uplifting moments of your day. It relaxes you in stressful situations. It reminds you that there is much for which to be thankful.
So, that’s one challenge for myself: appreciate random, small acts of kindness. After all, as the saying goes, ‘don’t sweat the small stuff’ – indeed, we shouldn’t sweat it. We should smile instead.
Right in your own backyard... 