Random Acts of Kindness
 

I've been reading about Positive Psychology lately here: http://www.pursuit-of-happiness.org/...-of-happiness/ and a lot of it makes sense in recovery.

I was always stuck in my head, in my thoughts, not letting things go, etc. And now that I am growing and changing, it feels great to be able to live in the present moment, think of others, and not live in my thoughts which only made them grow.

One aspect of Positive Psychology is to do random acts of kindness. They feel good for the receiver, the giver, and have a ripple effect on humanity in general.

What random acts of kindness have you done? What ones have others done for you?

Here are a few I have done:

Brought back shopping carts that weren't mine
Hung stuff up at a store that fell
Complimented a stranger
Helped a woman out at a kiosk
Paid for the coffee of the car in back of me
Let someone with fewer items go in front of me

Here's a few I received:

Someone on line gave me their gift card with $1 left
A coupon to use while on line for food
A warm smile when I looked like I could use it

There is a family run Mexican restaurant down the street from where I live. Recently I was having dinner there one weekend and my waitress was a girl about 13 or 14 years old. She was very nervous and obviously new to the job. Presumably she was part of the family that runs the place and was doing the job to get some spending cash.

It was pretty adorable because she was flustered when I was trying to place my order. One of the ladies was behind her watching while she was learning on the job and we shared a brief smile.

After my meal I pay my bill and she brings me the change. I pull out a twenty from my wallet and tell her "this is your tip". She absolutely lit up like a Christmas tree, to her that twenty was like winning a lottery ticket.

I must say it did my heart good.

Wethinknot - that is just beautiful!! Thank you for sharing. That young lady will never forget that. :You_Rock_

Love this

Several months ago, a store employee helped me out and made my day. :) So I went to the manager and told him how helpful she was. :)

The Dalai Lama describes compassion as intelligent selfishness.

Last week it was 37C (98.6F) in my hometown. I am in my office wear and waiting for the bus. A disabled person in his electronic wheelchair crosses the street at the red light next to the bus stop. As he turns down the street, I see something fall from the chair. It looked like a black envelope. A girl passes by and ignores the item so I figure it cant be important.

The seconds tick by. It is sweltering.

Finally curiosity overtakes me and I sprint across the road to see what it is. The black envelope turns out to be the disabled person's wallet. By this time, I can see my bus in the distance and the disabled person is about 200 metres in the opposite direction. Dammit !

I holler at the disabled man. He cant hear me. So, I sprint and finally catch up to him and hand back the wallet. He is simply stunned and repeatedly says thank you. I then sprint back and just manage to catch my bus in time.

I am one hot and nasty mess on the bus.

Totally agree that acts of kindness, random or otherwise are worthwhile. But do they have to be so hard ?!?

One of my favourite sayings: Virtue is its own reward.
You did a good thing, Kaneda.
:)

I saw an employee digging in her pockets for change and I bought her lunch.
I assisted a young girl with a medical emergency and stayed with her until the ambulance came
I donated books to a teachers class library
Bought something handmade that I didn’t need to brighten up the creator’s day

Things I received....
Once when I was at the store, I left my bank card in the car and a customer wanted to buy my groceries ($50)...
Asked the owner of the diner we frequent about his baked goods and he gave me a loaf of fresh bread

This was over the past 2 weeks!

I talk to people, especially employees of stores, restaurants, offices, etc. to try to lift them up.

I overtip dramatically.

I try to help anyone I can with almost anything.