Sure, we all have books that we treasure and change our lives, but then we also have a whole lot of other books that sit on our shelves and take up a lot of space. When thinking of those other books, how often do you actually read those twice? They would serve the world better if you donated them to a local library or school. You can also pass them along to your friends, and ask them to continue to pay them forward (if you do that, have them sign their name and date they completed reading the book before they pass it on, and your books take on a history of their own).
Leave A Good Review
This idea comes from Debra Iverson, a member of our Facebook Event Community. We all receive good or even outstanding service as we patron various businesses throughout the week. But, how often do you make the extra effort to acknowledge how great an experience you had? It's so much easier to complain when something goes wrong. So, how about instead you make sure folks know when something went right. This can be done by leaving a nice note with your tip if you're at a restaurant, speaking with the manager of a store before leaving, or giving a positive review online on the company website, Google or Yelp.
Create a Friend Appreciation Day
We all have great people in our lives. The ones who go out of their way to do something extra... That friend who checks in with you when you're feeling down... That colleague at the office who helped you with a project when you really needed it...
Whether it's the person who picked up your kids when you were under the weather, or the person who remembered your favorite cup of coffee on the day that you really needed it, there are good people all around us.
Let's make sure we let them know how much they are appreciated for what they do and how great they make life.
Surprise a friend or a colleague with their own appreciation day. Oh yes, you read that right. They won't even see it coming :). So for example, if your friend's name is Amanda, pick a day in February (or sooner) and make it Amanda Appreciation Day! Give that friend a card or a handwritten note that says "you're awesome" in however many words you'd like. Then, if you can, do one other small special thing for that person that day.
We'll let you get creative with that other special thing. It can be a treat to lunch or coffee. It can be that you baked cookies and brought them into the office for them. It can be a moment of self-care (manicure, pedicure, etc). It can be a cool small item that you know they'll love (or a $5 - 10 gift card to help them get something they love.... Amazon.com or iTunes are always popular).
Sometimes we don't say thank you enough, and other times someone goes unnoticed. Think to yourself right now, who's been really awesome lately? Is there anyone that I can celebrate for just how wonderful they are?
Changing the World
Pay the Toll for the Person Behind You
A lot of people despise traffic or the delays caused by toll booths on major highways. Even with the easy-pass style systems, you can still get a bottleneck in these areas. One day on your commute anywhere, purposefully get into the cash only line, and then pay for the car behind you too. A couple extra dollars can go along way and be a game changer for the other driver on the road.
Take Care of Your Neighborhood
How often do you take a walk in your neighborhood? This could be your neighborhood block, your local park, or nearby beach where people can enjoy the great outdoors. You could be walking with your friends, your partner, or maybe your pet. This is a great opportunity to do a little something extra, with zero effort at all.
As you are walking anywhere in your hood, if you see discarded trash (like bottles or wrappers or paper), simply pick them up and dispose of them at the nearest trash/recycling bin. Or, you can carry a bag with you and easily dispose of the items you pick up when you get home.
I've seen some communities go as far as to organize a community clean up, handing out reusable bags, gloves, and grabbers for gathering trash. Do as much or as little as you like, and either way you're guaranteed to make a difference in the place you call home.
50 Simple Acts of Kindness
[BY: KATY MCCOLL] With all due respect to karma, a lifetime's an awfully long time to wait to have your best intentions rewarded with a shiny gold star. Luckily, you don't have to wait: The benefits of charity and compassion are powerful and immediate. You've seen it on the bus, when someone offers his or her seat to an elderly person: The generous person feels noble, the elderly person beams with gratitude, and even spectators feel like cheering inside just from having witnessed a simple act of kindness. As it turns out, the effects of those experiences aren't just psychological. Those who study the science of do-gooding have discovered that performing (or even just imagining performing) a good deed has major physiological benefits — for the giver, not just the recipient. Naturally, we don't behave in benevolent ways to benefit from our actions...but just between us, the side effects are awesome. (READ THE FULL ARTICLE)