Yesterday we talked about doing something nice for yourself and how performing self-care is an act of kindness NOT selfishness.
Now that we’ve filled our cup a bit with self-care and love, let’s spread that care and love to another.
Today do something nice for someone else.
Ideas
· Open the door for someone.
· Making someone a nice lunch.
· Asking how someone is doing…and really CARING to KNOW the answer.
· Giving someone a hug perhaps just because or perhaps because you notice they need one.
· Making them a goodie plate.
· Listen to someone else. I mean truly listen.
· Picking up after someone …and NOT telling them or making it a big deal.
· Shovel someone’s walkway or driveway
· Smile at someone (remember we talked a lot in July about the impact of a smile)!
· Compliment a total stranger
· Donate those outgrown clothes
· Volunteer to run an errand for a friend or loved one
· Give someone a lift
· Write someone a card of gratitude
· Visit a friend you haven’t seen in awhile
· Buy a stranger a coffee
· Give gloves, hats, socks, or whatever you can to someone in need (especially someone you see standing on the street corner).
And those were just a few ideas that I came up with in seconds! Choose from one of the above ideas or come up with your own😊
Storytime!
That last suggestion on my list reminded me of a dear friend. Many years ago, I met an amazing woman. She was not well off; in fact she lived in less than 200 square foot home and was working 3 jobs to make ends meet.
One day I decided to take her out to lunch to show my appreciation to her. When I picked her up at her house, she had a strange package in her hands. I didn’t ask about it.
As we drove to midtown Anchorage for lunch, we came across a group of individuals standing on the corner begging for food and spare change. It was a red light, so my friend jumped out of the car, opened that strange package, and handed out smaller packages to each person there.
When she jumped back in the car she was laughing and smiling from ear to ear.
At lunch I asked her about the experience, and this is what she told me. “I was homeless for many years. Not because I wanted to be but because I ran away from an abusive father and had nowhere to go….
While I was on the street the one thing, I needed more than anything was warm socks and something to fill the hole in my belly.
So now, whenever I go to Costco I buy a package of warm socks, and snacks and I make up these little packages to give to those that I used to be like. It’s my way of being grateful for how far I’ve come.”
By this point I was in tears. I had no idea how difficult my friend’s life had been. She never discussed it and she always seemed so happy.
She went on to tell me about swamp foot, which she had one winter while on the streets. It occurs when your feet get wet and never dry out, so your foot starts to rot. I had never heard of it but now I know that it is very common with individuals who are houseless.
From that day forward I emulated my friend. I always have packages of socks and a snack (I use the socks to make the package for the snacks) in my car at all times. And whenever I give out one of these precious packages I think of my friend, who passed away a few years ago at a young age, and the selfless love she had for others.
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