Every night, the news broadcasts the same stories: violent crimes, viral epidemics, tragic endings. But the world doesn’t have to be a bottomless pit of despair. You can make a difference. You can be the difference. A smile. A nod. A wave. One small act is all it takes to spread joy and make someone’s day brighter. Radiate positivity throughout your community by following these steps.
Create Joy
Smile
Wear a smile even when you don’t feel like it. New York Times Best Seller, Brene Brown, wrote an article on her blog about how Toni Morrison inspired a wonderful change in her own life. She smiles every time she greets her children and watches their faces light up.
Smile everywhere. Smile when you walk into a classroom, gas station, or grocery store. Smile while you’re pumping gas, checking out a library book, or getting the mail. Studies like those mentioned in an article published by Time show that smiling can decrease aggression and negativity in people who see smiling faces.
Read More: 50 Positive Quotes to Live By
Humor
Humor is a bright spot for so many people. A flashlight in hand when the electricity goes out. Exploring Your Mind published an article in 2015 on The Benefits of Laughing that talked about laughter and how it inspires positive energy. If you can look through a tangled mess of tough situations and see the humor, you will radiate positivity all around you. Always try to find the humor in a tough situation.
READ MORE: How To Develop Your Child’s Sense Of Humor
Acts of Kindness
Show Appreciation
Write out thank you cards. Keep a stack of thank you cards on hand and generously hand them out. Pass them out to teachers, employees, even your favorite barista. It will be completely unexpected and leave a lasting impression on these people. You never know. This particular day could be an awful day for someone. Handing them a handwritten thank-you card could be the only bright spot in their awful day.
Leave bottled water out for your favorite delivery person or mail carrier. It’s a small gesture that goes a long way, in particular, if that mail carrier has to travel on foot during hot summers. And don’t forget firefighters and police officers. Keep your local heroes hydrated!
Tell a salesperson how much you appreciate them. Retail jobs are stressful, difficult, zero-respect jobs. It’s too easy to yell at the person behind the register for things that are often not their fault. The next time you’re shopping at your favorite store, take the time to say something nice to the cashier. Be the reason their heart smiles.
Read More: 7 Ways to Celebrate World Gratitude Day
Fun for Everyone
Just Say Boo!
The holiday season is a fun time to radiate positivity through your neighborhood. Get your neighbors together and play a game like You’ve Been Boo’d! This game is played during Halloween. Place a small bag with candy and other goodies on your neighbor’s door and leave them a note that reads, “You’ve been Boo’d.” The note will include instructions for what they do next as well as a sign they can put in their window so that other players know that the house has already been visited. The internet is filled with similar games for Christmas and Easter.
Kindness Rocks
The Kindness Rock Project started in 2015 by Megan Murphy as a way for people to radiate positivity by writing inspiring messages on rocks and placing them around their communities. For even more fun, start a community Facebook page where people who find kindness rocks can take pictures and post them for others to see. These rocks can be dug up, washed off and painted or you can purchase a Rock Painting Kit like the one shown below.
Read More: Why Every Neighborhood Needs a Little Free Library
Whether you walk around with a smile glued to your exhausted face; give up your place in the checkout line; or buy a stranger a cup of coffee, radiate positivity in everything you do and watch the joy spread through your community!
WANT TO READ MORE?
Check out this article on FINDING JOY IN NON-SCALE VICTORIES
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Sources: Brene Brown | Exploring Your Mind | Time | The Kindness Rock Project
