RAOK Day!

It’s random acts of kindness day!

I’ve been thinking of some easy, no/low-cost RAOKs me and my family can do and thought it might be nice to share them with you today, so we can spread the love as a community!

Here are five ideas:

1. Call or text, a friend or family member you haven’t spoken to for a while. 

Something I really like doing is sharing photos of memories together. You know those montages set to music that occasionally pop up on your phone? They will be called something like ‘fun in the sun with Amy‘ and there will be a lovely selection of photos of you together set to music. 

Whenever one of those pops up, I always send it to the friend in question. It’s easy, it costs me nothing, and it gives us both a little joy.

2. Smile! 

It’s easy, it’s free and it uses less muscles than frowning so it doesn’t take much effort. It makes you feel good and it makes the recipient feel good and usually you will get a smile back 😊 

3. Hold the door open for somebody. 

In my first job in the City, I worked with a lovely group of people. They were successful sales people working with investment banking clients. Maybe it was their upbringing, maybe it was their sales training or maybe it was because they understood people - maybe it was a combination of all three! 

All I can tell you is that they were consistently considerate, kind and well mannered, and they always always always held the door open for others.

It’s such a simple thing, but those small acts of kindness have always stuck with me. Try holding the door open for someone today.

4. Take the bins (trash) out. 

It doesn’t have to be the bins, you could hoover the carpet or clean the bathroom or unload the dishwasher. 

Have you heard of the 5 love languages? 

If not, maybe I’ll do a blog one day to share a bit more about them. 

Essentially, we all give and receive love in five different ways. Everybody has their preference, but usually we enjoy some combination of all five. 

One of the five is acts of service. 

Acts of service are easy, free and usually take a little effort on the part of the giver, but that’s why they’re so appreciated. 

If you share your living space with someone else, try performing an act of service today to help them out, I’m sure they will appreciate it!

5. Buy the next person in line a coffee. 

This one isn’t free, but it doesn’t cost much, it makes you feel really good and it’s always appreciated. 

One Friday during lockdown, I’d had the day off and had been homeschooling my kids. They were tired and hungry and begging me for a happy meal at McDonald’s. I usually say no, but as they had done all their schoolwork, I caved in - plus, it got us out of the house for an hour! 

We got in the car and drove to the local drive-through. There was a lot of traffic (apparently everybody needed a happy meal that day) and I let someone cut in front of me in the queue.

We ordered, and when it came to pay, the cashier told me that the person in front (the one I had let cut in) had paid our bill! I had no idea who they were but I was so touched by that gesture. I kept that order receipt stuck on the fridge for about 2 years to remind me to pay it forward whenever I got the chance. 

So, that’s it, five ideas for random acts of kindness, you can perform today.

Let me know how it goes!

Much love,

Amy 💜🤟