I watched this video of @hardlynormal who took a mother and son to the store and gave her money for clothes. This is what it looks like when you touch just one person at a time.
Studies have shown that the attention span of an audience is ONE PERSON. We tune out at 2 needy people. So all those television shows of hundreds of starving children are basically wasting their time. As individuals, we connect at an individual level.
With that in mind – find ONE person in the rest of this year (that’s a week and a half) that you can help. Big, small, casual or deeply meaningful – tell me how it feels to do one out of the ordinary kindness for an individual.
Need ideas? I got ideas . . .
THINGS to DO
*Smile (with eye contact) at someone you would usually pretend not to see.
*Take $2.00 with you and pay for someone’s coffee at 7/11
*Write a thoughtful note to someone who is under-appreciated.
I used half a stack of posty notes and write “You Rock because____” and then hid them on random spots in a co-workers office. It took her a while to discover that it was my doing, however the goal was achieved. She was happier and more relaxed because -again- she was no longer invisable.
*Let someone in front of you in line at the grocery store. Pick the granny with a full cart and help her unload it as well.
*Adopt a person for the holidays. Several Homeless non-profits have a program where you can “adopt” a client and give them a present.
*Adopt someone you know or see regularly. Celebrate your holidays by gifting to them.
*Snail Mail. Getting a letter or a card is always so much fun – and again- it makes you feel less invisible.
Things to GIVE
*Take your old dufflebags or rolling suitcases and give them to the homeless person you always see carting their belongings in cracked plastic bags and grocery carts
*A hygene kit: Tooth brush, tooth paste, deodorant, baby wipes (great in a oinch when you can not get to a shower every day), tissue , and moisturizing skin lotion. Pop it into a large ziplock plastic bag and give it to someone who needs or can use it.
* $10 will buy a dozen roses at the grocery store. Buy them for someone – someone unexpected: a police officer, someone who loos sad, a sick neighbor or friend.
*A blanket. Lay it on someone who is cold and on the sleep, or put it in a gift bag and leave it on the door of someone with little money. A shocking number of people can not afford to run the heater in these hard economic times.
*A bag of groceries. Again, the number of people silently suffering with an income insufficient to their needs is greater than you might think. you know who has just lost a job, or someone who is under-employed. Spend a few extra dollars and buy bread, fruit, peanut butter etc and help them out.
*Gift certificates for food – McDonald’s, In N Out, Taco Lita (it’s an Arcadia phenomenon ), Scrip for a grocery store are all inexpensive and easy ways to show friendship and help someone have a hot meal.
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Tell me what acts of kindness you would do – and any acts you actually do. Giving is personal – not just to those who receive, it can be personal to you: the giver as well.
Though simple, your first idea is more than meets the eye. Mother Teresa used to say that it all begins with a smile. She also said that we didn’t have to travel across the world to practice our loving kindness. We could start right at home with the people around us.
I think listening is another simple act that makes people feel less invisible.
Thanks for your inspiring post 🙂