History of World Kindness Day
World Kindness Day is celebrated internationally each year on November 13th. It first started in 1998 by the World Kindness Movement, a coalition of nations' kindness NGOs.
In 2010, at the request of Michael Lloyd-White, the NSW Federation Parents and Citizens Association wrote to the Minister of The NSW Department of Education to place World Kindness Day on the NSW School Calendar. In 2012 World Kindness Day was placed on the National School Calendar for over 9000 schools.
This purpose of World Kindness Day is to spread kindness within communities and highlight good deeds to encourage others to pay it forward, whether it's picking up litter, holding the door or giving someone a compliment, kindness is free and most acts cost nothing to give.
So if you're looking to up your kindness here are a a few tips!
Send A Card
Tip #1 is to send a card. Is there anything better than receiving a handwritten card? For us, the heartfelt message in a card is always the most exciting part of any gift we receive.
Phone A Friend
Say Thank You
This is pretty simple and common sense to most, but it can really cheer someone up and make them feel valued! Say thank you to someone who's helped you at the supermarket, the barista who made your coffee, someone in customer service who helped you with your order or even write a review for a business you've ordered from and thank them for their good service.
At F&F we always share our customer reviews and thank you messages with the team. We really appreciate the time our customers take to say thank you! It really warms our hearts!
Donate
If you have a few spare dollars, why not donate them to someone in need? You can make one-off, or ongoing, donations to animal sanctuaries, shelters and refuges, hospitals and much more. Think of something close to your heart and it will be that much more impactful.
Say Good Morning
Another simple, yet easy thing to do make someone's morning! Say good morning to your family, your dog, your neighbour, postman and anyone that you haven't said good morning to before. You might strike up a conversation and make a new friend!
Volunteer!
This is one that we don't always get around to each year, but once you do, it leaves you with a full heart and a great appreciation for people who volunteer their spare time all the time!
Where can you volunteer?
- Animal shelters & sanctuary - we love Where Pigs Fly.
- Shelters and refuges
- Soup kitchens
- Schools - we love Raise - a youth mentoring foundation.
- Your local council & community.
Surprise Someone
Is there anything better than being surprised? Whether it's receiving flowers at work, surprising your family overseas or simply cooking for someone, a surprise is always appreciated.
Whether it's for a loved one or yourself, this Skincare Luminosity Trial Kit from INIKA is sure to make them smile. It contains 4 beautiful products for nourished and youthful skin - it's the perfect new skincare routine for someone who likes to keep things fairly simple too.
Ideas to surprise someone:
- Send them flowers
- Send them a care package
- Cook on your night off
- Book a weekend away
- Surprise someone with a picnic
- Create a scavenger hunt!
- Bake & deliver some sweet treats
Do A Good Deed
Doing a good deed doesn't just benefits others, but yourself as well because helping others makes you feel good! No matter how big or small, good deeds never go unnoticed or unappreciated.
Good deeds:
- Do the dishes
- Donate clothes you don't wear anymore
- Donate canned food to a food drive or organise a food drive
- Help your parents/ grandparents with things around the house
- Volunteer your time at a community garden
Ask Someone How They Are
It's always nice when someone asks you how you're going out of the blue, especially if it's a friend or family member you haven't spoken to in a while.
Every year on R U OK Day, we make sure to ask friends, family and colleagues if they are okay and we're making an effort to continue this throughout the year.
People to ask:
- Parents, grandparents, siblings, cousins
- Your partner, significant other, husband, wife, etc.
- Friends
- Colleagues
- Boss
- Teacher
Pick Up Litter
Unfortunately, littering is not yet a thing of the past! If you see someone littering, you can speak up and ask them not to or to pick it up.
You can make a habit to bring a bag with you every time you go to the park or to the beach and pick up any rubbish you come across and keep your local areas litter-free!
Take 3 For The Sea is a global movement started by Tim Silverwood, a passionate environmentalist, surfer and Sydney local, to encourage you to take 3 pieces of rubbish with you (and dispose of/recycle them responsibly) when you visit the beach.
You can also take the initiative and organise a local community clean up of your own! It's also a great way to meet your neighbours and connect with your community.
Give A Compliment
This is something as a society we don't do enough of. Give a compliment to a friend, a colleague, a loved one or even a stranger! Don't be afraid to tell someone you love their new haircut, shoes, or even handwriting!
Small compliments go a long way and hey- they're completely free!
Easy compliments to give:
- You look great today!
- Your hair looks amazing!
- I love your sweater!
- You are really funny!
Smile
Smiling is another small act of kindness that is completely free and actually makes you happier when you do it!
Did you know smiling is our first facial expression and babies are born with the ability to smile? Smiling is also a universal sign of happiness and of course friendliness.
As the age-old saying goes, It takes more muscles to frown than to smile!
Smiling makes you more approachable and can really make someone feel welcome, especially at work! So smile at your colleague, smile at your dentist, smile at your neighbour, smile at everyone and anyone and spread a little kindness!
