4 Ways to Brighten Someone’s Day

4 Ways to Brighten Someone’s Day

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There is a saying about kindness: “wherever there is a human in need, there is an opportunity for kindness and to make a difference.” There are countless songs, poems, films and other media about the value of extending a helping hand to not only the people you love but the people around you.

One act of kindness, or one small change of your perspective, can open you up to the people living around you. We all need a reminder sometimes that our lives are occupied by a community of people, not just our own individual lives, who feel the same things we do.

If there is one thing you can do to make your life richer, and more meaningful, it is to be kind to others. You might be wondering where to begin, and the answer is: it begins with YOU. Here are 4 ways to brighten someone’s day!

Share a Compliment

Who doesn’t love a genuine compliment?

Many of us can recount the times where a simple “I love what you’ve done with your hair,” or “I like that outfit!” has made our day. Someone noticed the effort you’re putting in. 

It doesn’t take much out of us to tell the boisterous person at work that they have a wonderful personality or to comment to that soft-spoken person in class how they made great contributions to the discussion.

It might make you feel awkward, but you have the power to severely impact someone’s day and their perspective of themselves. Don’t compliment someone because you want to feel good about yourself, but because you genuinely have something nice to say to someone else.

Make sure it’s an authentic observation, take the plunge and pass on a kind word to someone!

Give Unexpected Gifts

An unexpected gift can make someone feel genuinely cared for and thought of. A plushie of your friends’ favourite animal, your significant other’s favourite treat at the bakery, or an unexpected flower delivery to a co-worker are all great gifts.

You can take a person’s day from lacklustre to wonderful with just a little forethought, especially when you expect nothing in return. We might have some expectations for gift-giving on our birthday, or around the holidays, but nothing can quite prepare us for an unexpected gift on a regular ol’ Wednesday.

It can be even more special if it’s something you’ve made by hand with them in mind – a handwritten note, a letter, a drawing, or maybe a playlist can all make for a touching gift. Show someone every once in a while that you’re listening, really listening, to them. Showing up with that one thing they were talking about that one time when they thought no one was listening and you might create a memory they’ll never forget.

Be Curious About Someone

This might sound simple, but in the humdrum of everyday life, we can take the people around us for granted. We go on autopilot, make assumptions, or sometimes we can just get caught up in what is occurring in our own lives that we forget to check in with others.

The next time you go to hang out with your best friend – ask them how they’re doing. Listen to them talk for hours about their new hobby or vent about their new job. Carve out some self-awareness to be genuinely curious about what other people do in their days.

With strangers, acknowledge their existence with a smile and ask them how their day is going. Don’t let each encounter pass you by, because you can make someone’s day just a little bit brighter by lingering a couple of minutes extra.  

Put Someone Else Before You         

Whether it be physically – like on the road, in the line at the supermarket, or on the tube, or emotionally, try to put others before you. Sometimes it feels like our needs are the most important thing in the world, but maybe the most important thing is to let that stressed-out person go in front of you. Or maybe you can offer to pay for the meal of the person behind you when you’re fetching dinner. Every act of kindness has a great effect in the grand scheme of things. 

The more we do for others, the more changed we become ourselves. You begin to wonder not what others can do for you, but what you can do for others. This catalyses a greater, positive change in your life that you can eventually extend to others. 

But, remember, a true act of kindness begins with YOU and it can brighten someone’s day.

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