5 Ways to Show More Kindness
At Print The Love, we’re all about kindness. The joy that people feel in receiving an instant photo is radiant and we love to spread that feeling around however we can. Volunteering for a non-profit like Print The Love is a great way to show kindness, but what if you're not currently volunteering? Here are 5 ways that you can show more kindness in your everyday life.
Give Compliments.
See someone with killer style? Does that person next to you in line have a nice smile? Tell them so. Compliments are a rare treat, but we wish they were more common. You never know who could be going through a hard time. One compliment can change around someone’s whole day and encourage them to have some much needed confidence.
Do One Act of Service for Someone Else.
This one is so underrated. Our world has so much division and anger going on in it. An act of service can be as small as holding the door open for someone else or something as thought-out as attending one of our volunteer trips abroad. Giving of one’s own time is one of our favorite ways to promote kindness. While acts of service can be time consuming, we believe they're totally worth it!
Pay It Forward.
Has a loved one (or even a stranger) done something nice for you lately? A great way to change the world on the small scale is to pay kindness forward to someone else. Offer to pay for someone else’s food or drink, even if it’s just in the drive thru. A more personal way to express kindness in this way is to offer to cover your next coffee shop date with a friend. These small gifts to others will add up and later on, others might just extend this kindness back to you.
Say Please and Thank You.
This one is also underrated. If you or someone you know has ever worked in customer service, you know that gratitude means a lot to your waiter or barista. Try not to just be pleasant the next time you get your morning coffee, but try to express true appreciation for their service. That person will likely not only be affected by your positivity, but they’ll feel uplifted by the affirmation that they’re doing their job well.
Take Time for Yourself.
Don’t forget about you. Self-care is a term that gets thrown around a lot recently and it’s becoming more and more normal to prioritize kindness toward yourself. With school, spouses, kids, and jobs, life gets so crazy that priorities can get lost in the process. Take 5 minutes to meditate or a half hour to read part of a novel that’s been on your list. These small acts of kindness toward yourself really impact your potential. As the saying goes, you can’t pour from an empty glass. Showing kindness toward yourself is great practice for passing kindness on to others.
