One of our basic human needs is to feel connected to someone else and establish some type of meaningful relationship. Practicing random acts of kindness is one way to satisfy this need. The serenity and fulfillment you receive by participating in such a selfless act can far exceed any personal acquisition.

The following are some simple ideas to help get you started:

50 Ways to Practice Random Acts of Kindness

1. Pray on behalf of someone else
2. Forgive
3. Refuse to gossip
4. Release judgment
5. Treat others in the same manner in which you would like to be treated
6. Teach your children the principles of giving, kindness, and respect
7. Visit a nursing home or senior citizen’s home and bring a gift for the residents to enjoy
8. Volunteer in the neo-natal unit of your local hospital
9. Be a frequent volunteer for your favorite non-profit organization
10. Host a fundraiser for your favorite non-profit organization
11. Identify a charity whose mission you support and consistently donate money
12. Offer to pay for the groceries of someone who is standing in the checkout line
13. Offer to pay the remainder of the grocery bill for someone who appears to be struggling to pay
14. Write a letter to someone who has affected your life and thank them for all they have done for you
15. Write a letter to a store or restaurant manager praising their employee and the wonderful service you received
16. File a compliment for a business who has served you well
17. Pay a freeway toll for the car behind you
18. Donate children’s coats, hats, scarves, gloves and boots to a women’s shelter
19. Donate a coat to a winter coat drive
20. Donate anything to your favorite charity
21. Help prepare meals for a program such as Meals on Wheels
22. Mow a home-bound or elderly neighbors grass
23. Shovel a home-bound or elderly neighbors snow
24. Donate some of your gently-used books to your local library
25. Feed someone else’s parking meter that has expired or is almost out of time
26. Tape some coins to a vending machine with a note that it’s for anyone who is short of change
27. Pay the bill for an individual or family dining in the same restaurant
28. Send a care package to someone away in college
29. Send a college student, with a car, a gift gas card
30. Purchase several pieces of infant clothing, such as onesies, t-shirts, socks, and blankets and donate them to a shelter
31. Collect school supplies such as pencils, erasers, glue, folders, and paper and donate them to a public school in your area
32. Participate in extreme couponing to purchase items and donate them to a local shelter
33. Leave a box of toys on the porch of a family that has multiple children for Christmas
34. Leave an inspirational book on the seat of a bus, train, or airplane with a note to the finder to enjoy it and then pass it alone when done reading
35. Collect things that might be needed at an animal shelter, such as blankets, towels, toys, cat litter, etc. and deliver them to the shelter
36. Volunteer your time a local pet shelter (and take your children with you)
37. Run your own canned food drive and donate all the food to the residence of displaced families or a local shelter
38. Send flowers to your mother just because
39. Donate your children’s gently used clothing to a family who needs them
40. Cut an inspiriting story from a magazine or newspaper and post it on a bulletin board, or leave it on the seat of a train, plane or bus for others to read
41. Anonymously send something that you know a loved one or friend needs
42. Quitely give $10 (or more if you can afford it) to someone who needs it
43. Purchase several new books and donate them to a classroom of elementary school children
44. Anonymously help pay for the school tuition of someone else’s child
45. Send a card or gift basket with words of encouragement to someone who might be having a challenging time
46. Leave a $1 inside your favorite book in your local book store
47. Declutter your closet and donate anything you haven’t worn in one year to an organization such as Salvation Army or Goodwill
48. Donate your old car to a non-profit charity such as Make-a-Wish
49. Be kind to yourself…Surround yourself with like-minded people
50. Make a real investment in the lives in the lives and well-being of those around you

You are here, on this physical earth, to serve in the likeness of God. What better way to help heal the planet than by committing to a goal bigger than yourself? Thank you for allowing me to share these ideas with you today.

Did something in this post inspire you to practice or increase your practice of random kindness? Do you have other ideas of random kindness that you would like to share in kinship? I would love to hear from you! And, if you enjoyed this post, feel free to share it with your Friends on Facebook and Twitter. I appreciate YOU!

Yours in Kindness,

Random acts of kindness are beautiful ways to serve and touch the hearts and lives of other human beings. Consciously seeking out opportunities to serve takes the focus off of  ’self’ and creates a goal bigger than you ever imaged possible; a glimmer of hope for someone less fortunate.

In the comments below, please share some of your best ideas for random acts of kindness. And, if you have a blog, don’t forget to add a linky to your lastest blog posts:)