I always thought the phrase was “random acts of kindness,” but then I saw the movie, “Evan Almighty” and somehow building an arc… or doing Acts of Random Kindness (ARC) stuck with me. In today’s world I feel like there is always a need for more acts of random kindness. And I say that while thinking, “If acts of random kindness were common, would the world be in the state that it is today?” I do truly believe that all of humankind would benefit if people were generally more kind; if we spontaneously did things for people that were unexpected but appreciated – even if we don’t get to experience the appreciation. Let’s take a look at some of the things you can do each day, even just within the circles of your friends or coworkers, that would potentially improve how the day is going for others.
Ask how someone is doing, and don’t do it as an afterthought or common phraseology. Don’t do it as part of a greeting. “Hey, how ya’ doing?” Not like that. After you’ve greeted them and the “hello, how are you” moment has passed, ask them how they are doing. How are they REALLY doing? How is their day REALLY going? Be empathetic and helpful if you can to improve their day.
Show appreciation. It’s very common these days to hear, “I appreciate you,” instead of “thank you,” but both can have an impact. Genuinely thanking someone for something they’ve done, even if it’s not for you, is an impactful thing. Expressing your appreciation for their time, even if they didn’t do something for you but merely took the time to listen and talk with you, can have an impact. Along the same lines, complimenting someone on something they did well or that had a positive impact on others can greatly improve someone’s day. Everyone likes to be recognized if they do something “above and beyond.”
And just like you would express appreciation if someone helped you, offer to help someone else without them having to ask. One of the greatest lessons of my life was learning the difference in impact between helping someone when they asked for my help and helping someone before they asked, simply because I saw that they either did or would need my assistance. Helping someone doesn’t have to mean doing something big. It can be something really small actually, but if it’s one less thing they have to worry about in their day, then you had a positive impact.
Share your knowledge or skill about/at something and don’t follow that up with an expectation of payment. Share your expertise but don’t leverage that for your personal gain. Teach someone something new or offer your counsel for the express purpose of helping them to grow and improve.
If you know someone who is an “outsider” to your work group or circle of friends, invite them to participate in a social event. It doesn’t have to be a big thing. I’m not suggesting you host a party just to be able to invite them over, but invite them to join your group for lunch, or ask their opinion about a conversational topic. Invite them to be included in your social setting and make them feel welcome.
Ask their opinion. For workmates especially, if you ask their opinion about a given topic or situation, it helps them to feel a higher level of respect. It’s a compliment to them that you’d want to know what they think, implying that you’d also take their outlook into consideration.
Celebrate their success. Again, this especially applies to workmates, but cheer them on when they reach a goal, accomplish a task or get a promotion (yes, even if it’s one you were competing for). If you support them as they attain any measure of success, it adds to their feeling of accomplishment and recognition. Remember, acts of kindness aren’t about making yourself feel good or be recognized, but about how you help others to feel.
These seven things may not seem major, but if you do them on any type of regular basis you can have a fairly large positive impact on those around you. Perform your Acts of Random Kindness and think of it as building your ARC. “Hope Floats” was another good movie and an ARC built of kindness would certainly float well, full of happier people.
