Be the Kindness You Want To See in the World

The driver of car to the right of you turns on their blinker after hardly passing you. Instead of yielding to the urge to speed up and prevent them from changing lanes, why not yield to them and let them go ahead? It’s a simple thing to let someone over, but it’s also something that can greatly improve the course of someone’s day.

Random acts of kindness like this are small, yet impactful ways of showing others that they are important in the midst of our self-absorbed, hurried world.

Here are a few ways you can make a conscious effort to put someone else’s needs ahead of yours:

— If you get to the grocery store check-out line at the same time as someone else, you can decide to smile and wave them through first.

— When you're stuck in traffic and late for your next appointment, let just one car get in front of you because you never know if they might have a need more urgent than yours.

— It can even be as simple as letting someone else have the last doughnut in the breakroom at work.

Practice being more deliberate with your actions. Remember that no act of kindness is ever wasted and we can always find an opportunity to brighten another person's day. Start being the person who sets the example of how you wish everyone acted. Be the kindness you want to see in the world.