And an encouraging note, of course.
Try this: Get some biodegradable balloons and fill them with helium. Place a note inside to lighten someone's day. Set them free. Its that easy. Maybe they'll only reach one person.. or maybe they'll reach many... but no matter what, at least you know you put a little more light into the world.
Wednesday, June 01, 2011
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Featured Small Act
Who ever said that a small act has to be done on a small scale? In the Twin Cities area in Minnesota there is a radio station who truly encourages people to join together and make other people's days brighter. The radio station is called KTIS. The mission: The Drive-thru Difference.
The Drive-Thru Difference is the act of anonymously paying for the person behind you while in the drive-thru. Whether you are buying their breakfast, a coffee, or a dinner, you are absolutely bound to make their day. Amazingly enough however, the day brightening effect doesn't seem to stop at the person who's meal you've bought. It also seems to make the employees at the restaurant quite happy as well. After all, isn't simply witnessing an act of kindness grand in itself?
KTIS dedicates specific Fridays as "Drive-thru difference days" but they encourage you to perform this act of kindness whenever you feel you have the means. If you want, you can even download a note to leave for the person who's meal you've paid for. It's a very sweet note that ends with "I hope that this encourages you today!" Well now... who do you know that couldn't use just a little more encouragement? Truly lovely!
If you wish to download the note, or learn more about the KTIS Drive-Thru Difference you can do so at http://www.ktis.fm/2010/06/drive-thru-difference-2/
Whether you go through this process with the radio station in mind or not, I highly encourage you to do it. Not only is it incredibly fun, but it truly does brighten people's day in a wonderful and simple way. This is why I chose to feature this Small Act. :-)
Do you have any community Small Acts in mind that you would like to be featured? Tell me about it by commenting below or tweeting me at http://twitter.com/#!/KateMikiHT
Monday, May 09, 2011
Hey now, we all love to get mail!
Try making a stranger's day in a very simple way. Choose a random address of a person you don't know. (You can do this from looking in your phone book, or by going to www.whitepages.com and entering a random last name and an equally random 5 digit number for the zipcode). Send them a postcard with a note to have a great day. Be creative. Try making the postcard as cheerful and uplifting as possible!
Whether you do this for just one person, or for many, you'll be putting just a little bit more happy out into the world.
:)
Whether you do this for just one person, or for many, you'll be putting just a little bit more happy out into the world.
:)
Saturday, May 07, 2011
Something we could all do...
Have you looked through your kitchen cupboards lately? I mean.. really looked? Chances are you've got all kinds of food in there that, though its still good, you know you're simply not going to eat. You know.. the 12 boxes of pudding you bought one night when you went shopping hungry. Why not make someone's day with that food? Take a few minutes and bag up those extras, and take them to a local food shelf!
If you're unsure where to take it, do a quick web search for local food shelfs or food banks. Or try these:
http://feedingamerica.org/
http://find.mapmuse.com/interest/food-banks
Don't let things go to waste when you could so easily help others! :-)
If you're unsure where to take it, do a quick web search for local food shelfs or food banks. Or try these:
http://feedingamerica.org/
http://find.mapmuse.com/interest/food-banks
Don't let things go to waste when you could so easily help others! :-)
Monday, April 11, 2011
Take 5 to welcome.
You remember what its like, right? You feel out of your element. You're just a little bit scared (though you'd never admit it) and you keep questioning what exactly you thought you were doing when you made this decision in the first place. Even an extremely confident person is bound to have a few reservations bouncing around in the back of their thoughts. "Will they like me? What if I'm just not as good as I thought I was? What if I don't fit in?"
We've all been there. Whether it was a new job, a new school, a new place of worship, or a new neighborhood, at some point in our lives we will have to go through it: Being the newbie.
Maybe we could all make this a little easier on each other? What if we took advantage of the times when we aren't the new one, and helped those who are to feel a little more comfortable?
Next time you notice a newcomer try this: take 5 minutes to talk with them. Be positive! Don't just tell them all about "the job" or "the neighborhood" but also ask questions about them. Where were they previously? How'd they end up here? (Giving them the chance to let you know them better can ease some fears a little.) See if you can't find some things in common between the two of you, and let them know. "Oh hey, you're from Texas? I went to college down there!" Commonalities will help them to feel less alone. Furthermore, let them know that you understand its always a little strange being new, and that you are around to answer questions if they need it. Maybe you'll make a new friend out of the whole deal, but even if you don't, at least you will have made one person's day just a little bit easier.
We've all been there. Whether it was a new job, a new school, a new place of worship, or a new neighborhood, at some point in our lives we will have to go through it: Being the newbie.
Maybe we could all make this a little easier on each other? What if we took advantage of the times when we aren't the new one, and helped those who are to feel a little more comfortable?
Next time you notice a newcomer try this: take 5 minutes to talk with them. Be positive! Don't just tell them all about "the job" or "the neighborhood" but also ask questions about them. Where were they previously? How'd they end up here? (Giving them the chance to let you know them better can ease some fears a little.) See if you can't find some things in common between the two of you, and let them know. "Oh hey, you're from Texas? I went to college down there!" Commonalities will help them to feel less alone. Furthermore, let them know that you understand its always a little strange being new, and that you are around to answer questions if they need it. Maybe you'll make a new friend out of the whole deal, but even if you don't, at least you will have made one person's day just a little bit easier.
Friday, April 08, 2011
A Challenge: Who do you pass over?
There are those people in our lives... you know, the ones that we chit-chat with but never really get to know. Can you think of who fits that role in your life? Is it someone who works in your building? A janitor? The person who delivers the mail in the morning? Perhaps its the kid behind the counter where you buy your coffee every morning?
Here's a challenge for you: Take a little time out of your day to thank this person. It doesn't need to be a production... it just needs to be sincere. (After all, who couldn't use a little more sincere grace in their life)?
What ways can you think of to thank these people in your life? Why do you think we don't *really* take the time in the first place?
Here's a challenge for you: Take a little time out of your day to thank this person. It doesn't need to be a production... it just needs to be sincere. (After all, who couldn't use a little more sincere grace in their life)?
What ways can you think of to thank these people in your life? Why do you think we don't *really* take the time in the first place?
Something I've always found to be really fun!
A few years ago I found myself in a great place financially, and wanted to give back a bit in a fun way. One night while walking around a local store at the wee-hours-of-the-morning it hit me: people just didn't look happy. How could I help? I was just a kid without much wisdom or experience to back me up in life.
So, this is what I came up with: words of encouragement and a surprise always make me feel a bit better about the world. This lead me to the following act: On several strips of paper I wrote out encouraging words. Some were quotes that I had loved, others were bible verses, and the rest were simply things I felt that people might like to hear in order to have a better day. Then I took those strips of paper and wrapped them around a 5$ or 10$ bill. Then came the fun part. Trying as hard as I could not to be noticed I walked around the store sneaking the "gifts" into people's carts while they weren't looking, and in random spots throughout the store. (Inside of shoes, in tupperware, in the pockets of yet-to-be-purchased clothing, etc.).
Doing this small anonymous thing was meant to give back and help others to feel better about their days, but truth-be-told, it also made me feel a lot better about my own. There is something about giving back without recognition that can really feel amazing. I recommend trying it if you are in need of a little encouragement in your own life. (You can, of course, go about it without the monetary portion and simply give the notes)!
Have you ever done something like this? How did it affect you personally? Have you ever been the recipient of a small act of kindness such as this? What kind of reaction did you have?
So, this is what I came up with: words of encouragement and a surprise always make me feel a bit better about the world. This lead me to the following act: On several strips of paper I wrote out encouraging words. Some were quotes that I had loved, others were bible verses, and the rest were simply things I felt that people might like to hear in order to have a better day. Then I took those strips of paper and wrapped them around a 5$ or 10$ bill. Then came the fun part. Trying as hard as I could not to be noticed I walked around the store sneaking the "gifts" into people's carts while they weren't looking, and in random spots throughout the store. (Inside of shoes, in tupperware, in the pockets of yet-to-be-purchased clothing, etc.).
Doing this small anonymous thing was meant to give back and help others to feel better about their days, but truth-be-told, it also made me feel a lot better about my own. There is something about giving back without recognition that can really feel amazing. I recommend trying it if you are in need of a little encouragement in your own life. (You can, of course, go about it without the monetary portion and simply give the notes)!
Have you ever done something like this? How did it affect you personally? Have you ever been the recipient of a small act of kindness such as this? What kind of reaction did you have?
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