18 ways to spread joy on random acts of kindness day – and everyday

LEAVE MONEY BEHIND FOR A STRANGER. Leaving money at a vending machine or on a counter for someone else to take advantage of is an anonymous way to be kind to a stranger, says Margaret

Echelbarger, assistant professor of marketing at Stonybrook University, who researches prosociality (or behaviors we engage in that are intended to benefit others). You can also send funds

to a distant friend or family member to treat themselves to a coffee. PAY FOR THE PERSON BEHIND YOU IN LINE. If you’re in a busy drive-through, picking up the tab for the order behind you

can cause a chain reaction of kindness. The recipient could be having a great day already and decide to also pay for the person behind them, “or it can really pull someone up who just really

needed it in that moment,” says Echelbarger. GIVE A GIFT CERTIFICATE TO A BONDING EXPERIENCE. “Give someone a gift certificate for a shared outing – like a walk together and snacks,”

suggests Simon-Thomas. GIVE A COUPON BOOK FOR DIFFERENT CHORES. Take a load off of someone’s busy schedule by offering to do a chore for them. “Tell someone that you want to be kind, but let

them pick the timing of that kindness,” says Echelbarger. GET ACTIVE-IST. Simon-Thomas says taking part in causes you care about is good for you and your neighbors, whether you encourage

your neighbors to register to vote or you become an activist for another cause you care about. PLANT TREES OR FREE LITTLE LIBRARIES. Kindness in public spaces, like planting trees or

establishing – or adding to – free little libraries can benefit more than one person at a time. Echelbarger calls free little libraries “one of the most sustainable forms of kindness that I

have seen in my own life. And I love walking by them putting books in them myself.” DO AN OUTDOOR CHORE FOR SOMEONE. Echelbarger says picking up trash from a neighbor’s yard or shoveling

their driveway is a kind helping hand. “Sometimes when people have snowblowers, they will go down their whole block because it’s so easy for them,” says Echelbarger. “They’re really taking a

load off some of their neighbors.” AND HERE ARE A FEW WAYS TO BE KIND TO YOURSELF TAKE A BREATHER. It sounds rudimentary, but it triggers calm and rest in your nervous system and signals to

your body that you’re safe and provided for, Simon-Thomas says. “Being able to walk through the world with that mindset is a greater contribution to your overall well-being and your

capacity to interact with other people in friendly and generous ways.” REFLECT ON WHAT BRINGS YOU SOLITARY JOY AND DO IT. Whether it’s knitting, jigsaw puzzles or something else, indulge in

what brings you joy. Simon-Thomas says she likes to spend time noticing the little things in her garden: the blooming flowers, the caterpillar munching on a leaf. “I do that as an act of

kindness, spontaneously,” she says, adding that tapping into that awareness, “invites my mind to see things in a more curious and kind of wonder-infusing way.” SCHEDULE TIME FOR SELF-CARE.

Whether it’s a massage, a haircut, or just a coffee date with a yummy treat and your gratitude journal, Simon-Thomas says “those are wonderful ways to just bring in little moments of joy

that can be a big contributor to your overall health and well-being.”