Don’t wait for people to smile. Show them
how.
Let your guard down. Talk to someone you
don’t know straight from your heart.
Compliment them. Don’t anticipate
awkwardness. Just be you in that beautiful
way only you know and give them the
chance to smile and connect with you.
Remember, your best friend was once a
stranger too.
1. Smile often.
2. Hold a door open for someone.
3. Pay for the person in line behind you.
4. Send a hand-written thank you card to
someone who assisted you with
something.
5. Clean out all your old clothes and
donate them to someone in need.
6. Give a compliment about a waiter,
waitress, sales clerk, etc. to his or her
manager.
7. Compliment a stranger’s appearance.
Flatter them.
8. Leave encouraging post-it notes in a
library books and other random places.
(ReadOperation Beautiful .)
9. Help an elderly person carry something.
10. Send flowers to someone anonymously.
11. Be a courteous driver. Let people merge
in front of you.
12. Volunteer at a children’s hospital or
nursing home.
13. Donate blood.
14. Buy house warming gifts for new
neighbors.
15. Introduce yourself. Make new
colleagues, classmates, etc. feel
welcome.
16. Inspire others online. (Check out Makes
Me Think.)
17. Send letters of appreciation to business
owners/managers and other people
who support you.
18. Treat everyone with the same level of
respect you’d give to your grandfather.
19. Give everyone the same level of
patience you’d have with your baby
sister.
20. Appreciate people the way they are.
21. Share your lunch or a snack with
someone who doesn’t have one.
22. Put some change in an expired parking
meter.
23. Check up on someone who looks lonely.
24. Tell your boss, teacher or professor that
he or she is doing a great job and that
you appreciate what they’ve taught you.
25. Create places and things for others to
enjoy. Like decorating your house for
the holidays or creating a piece of art.
26. If you overhear that it’s someone’s
birthday, go out of your way to wish
them a happy one.
27. Ask someone for their opinion or
advice.
28. Bring cookies or bagels to work for
everyone.
29. Tip waiters and waitresses well when
they deserve it.
30. Be a part of something you believe in.
Those around you will notice your
enthusiasm. (ReadThe Alchemist .)
31. Leave a thank-you note for the office
janitors.
32. Help bag your own groceries at the
checkout counter.
33. Offer your seat to someone when there
aren’t any left.
34. Let someone with only a few items cut
you in line at the grocery store.
35. Wave to a kid in the car next to you.
36. Spread good news.
37. Repeat something nice you heard
about someone else.
38. Remember people’s names and address
them accordingly.
39. When you make eye contact with
someone, smile.
40. Replace what you’ve used. For example,
fill up the copier or printer with paper
after you’re done using it.
41. Share your umbrella on a rainy day.
42. Listen intently to people’s stories
without trying to fix everything.
43. Dance with someone who hasn’t been
asked.
44. Call a stranger’s attention to a beautiful
sunset or full moon. (Check outWhat
Money Cannot Buy.)
45. Give words of encouragement toward
someone’s dream, no matter how big
or small it is.
46. Ask someone who enjoys cooking for a
recipe.
47. Let someone else eat the last slice of
pizza or cake.
48. Stop and buy a drink from a kid’s
lemonade stand.
49. Help someone get your parking space
in a crowded parking lot when you’re
leaving.
50. Ask someone you see every now and
then if they’ve lost weight.
51. Do a little something extra to make
someone else’s life easier.
52. Use all the manners you learned in
Kindergarten.
53. Listen to someone’s pain and help them
find a path through it.
54. Give without expecting to get back.
55. Encourage others to do one
unanticipated kind or helpful act at
least once a week.
56. Observe everyone without judging.
57. Say “Please” and “Thank you.”
58. Forgive and let go of anger. For
instance, if somebody accidentally cuts
you off in traffic, just let it go.
59. Believe in yourself with all of your heart.
People will notice.
60. Don’t be so serious all the time. (Read
The Happiness Project .)
61. Treat every small interaction with
another person as an opportunity to
make a positive impact in both your
lives.
62. Greed, anger and ignorance. Avoid all
three.
63. Speak the truth.
64. Teach others how to make a difference
by setting an example.
65. Help others be independent.
66. Give people the space they need.
67. Lend your shoulder to cry on.
68. Offer encouragement after a failure.
69. Acknowledge people for a job well
done.
70. Tell a good joke.
71. Clean up after yourself.
72. Excel at what you do. People appreciate
professionals.
73. Create a care package and send it to an
active duty military unit.
74. Redirect gifts. Instead of having people
give you birthday and holiday gifts, ask
them to donate gifts or money to a
good cause.
75. Stop to help. The next time you see
someone pulled over with a flat tire, or
in need of assistance, stop and ask how
you can help.
76. Put a small personal touch on
everything you do. People notice and
appreciate individuality.
77. Take the time to teach someone a skill
you know.
78. Help someone get active. There’s a
coworker or acquaintance in your life
who wants to get healthy, but needs a
helping hand. Offer to go walking or
running together, to join a gym
together.
79. Send a nice email to a tech support
representative who has assisted you.
80. Donate food to a charity.
81. Stand up for someone. Lend your voice.
Often the powerless, the homeless, the
neglected in our world need someone
to speak up for them.
82. If you see a couple taking a self-pic,
offer to take the picture for them.
83. Help the weary shopper in front of you
who needs that extra two or three
cents to avoid breaking a 20-dollar bill.
84. Come to the rescue. If you realize
someone is sick, bring them some hot
tea, etc.
85. Stand up for your beliefs without
flaunting them.
86. Make yourself available and
approachable.
87. Over-deliver on all of your promises and
obligations.
88. Be positive and focus on what’s right.
And above all, live proudly. Inspire people
with who you are and how you live your life.