Essay on Kindness

500 words essay on kindness.

The world we live in today has been through a lot of things from world wars to epidemics, but one thing which remained constant throughout was resilience and kindness. Moreover, it was the spirit to fight back and help out each other. Kindness must be an essential and universal quality to make the world a better place. Through an essay on kindness, we will go through it in detail.

essay on kindness

Importance of Kindness

Kindness towards nature, animals and other people has the ability to transform the world and make it a beautiful place for living. But, it is also important to remember that kindness towards you is also essential for personal growth.

Kindness is basically being polite, compassionate and thoughtful. Every religion and faith teaches its followers to be kind. Most importantly, kindness must not limit to humans but also to every living creature.

Even nature has its own way of showing kindness. For instance, the trees grow fruits for us and provide us with shade. One must not see kindness as a core value but as a fundamental behavioural element. When you are kind to your loved ones, you create a stable base.

As people are becoming more self-centred today, we must learn kindness. We must try to integrate it into ourselves. You might not know how a small act of kindness can bring about a change in someone’s life. So, be kind always.

Kindness Always Wins

There is no doubt that kindness always wins and it has been proven time and again by people. Sid is a greedy man who does not share his wealth with anyone, not even his family members.

He also does not pay his workers well. One day, he loses his bag of gold coins and loses his temper. Everyone helps him out to search for it but no one finds it. Finally, his worker’s little son finds the bag.

Upon checking the bag, he sees all the coins are there. But, his greed makes him play a trick on the poor worker. He claims that there were more coins in the bag and the worker stole them.

The issue goes to the court and the judge confirms from Sid whether his bag had more coins to which he agrees. So, the judge rules out that as Sid’s bag had more coins , the bag which the worker’s son found is not his.

Therefore, the bag gets handed to the worker as no one else claims it. Consequently, you see how the worker’s son act of kindness won and paid him well. On the other hand, how Sid’s greediness resulted in his loss only.

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Conclusion of the Essay on Kindness

It is essential for all of us to understand the value of kindness. Always remember, it does not cost anything to be kind. It may be a little compliment or it can be a grand gesture, no matter how big or small, kindness always matters. Therefore, try your best to be kind to everyone around you.

FAQ of Essay on Kindness

Question 1: Why is it important to be kind?

Answer 1: It is important to be kind because it makes one feel good about oneself. When you do things for other people and help them with anything, it makes you feel warm and that you have accomplished something. Moreover, you also get respect in return.

Question 2: Why is kindness so powerful?

Answer 2: Kindness has a lot of benefits which includes increased happiness and a healthy heart . It slows down the ageing process and also enhances relationships and connections, which will indirectly boost your health.

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Essay on Random Act Of Kindness

Students are often asked to write an essay on Random Act Of Kindness in their schools and colleges. And if you’re also looking for the same, we have created 100-word, 250-word, and 500-word essays on the topic.

Let’s take a look…

100 Words Essay on Random Act Of Kindness

What is a random act of kindness.

A random act of kindness is a selfless act performed by a person wishing to either help or cheer up an individual person or people. They may be done secretly or in person. They are small gestures that brighten someone’s day.

Why are Random Acts of Kindness Important?

Random acts of kindness are important because they remind us of the goodness in the world. They make us feel good and inspire others to do the same. It’s like a chain of positivity that spreads happiness.

Examples of Random Acts of Kindness

Examples can be as simple as holding the door open for someone, helping an elderly person cross the street, or sharing your lunch with a friend. These acts, though small, can make a big difference.

Benefits of Random Acts of Kindness

Doing random acts of kindness can make you feel happy and satisfied. It can also improve your relationships with others. Plus, it creates a positive environment where everyone feels loved and cared for.

Encouraging Random Acts of Kindness

250 words essay on random act of kindness.

A random act of kindness is a selfless act performed by a person wishing to either help or cheer up an individual person or people. The phrase is ‘random’ because it refers to acts that are not planned in advance or have an expected reward.

These acts can be big or small, and they often come in many forms. For example, you might help an old lady cross the road, or you might share your lunch with a friend who forgot theirs. Sometimes, even a simple smile can make someone’s day better.

The Impact of Random Acts of Kindness

These small acts can make a big difference. They can make someone feel happy, loved, and important. Plus, they can inspire others to do the same. This is called the ‘ripple effect’. It’s like when you throw a stone in a pond. The ripples spread out and reach far.

Why We Should Practice Random Acts of Kindness

Practicing random acts of kindness can make our world a better place. It teaches us to be kind, caring, and understanding. It also makes us feel good about ourselves. Plus, it can make someone else’s day a little bit brighter.

In conclusion, a random act of kindness is a simple but powerful way to show kindness to others. It’s a small thing that can make a big difference. So, let’s all try to do one random act of kindness each day. It’s a small step that can lead to a big change.

500 Words Essay on Random Act Of Kindness

Random acts of kindness are important because they remind us of our shared humanity. They show us that even in our busy lives, we can still make a positive impact on others. They make our world a better place by creating a chain of good deeds. When we do something kind for someone, they might feel inspired to do the same for others. This way, the kindness spreads.

There are many ways to perform random acts of kindness. You can pay for the meal of the person behind you in a fast-food line. You can send a thank you note to your teacher or coach. You can help an elderly person cross the street. You can donate your old books to a local library. You can even simply smile at a stranger. These acts, no matter how small, can make someone’s day better.

Encouraging Random Acts of Kindness in Schools

Schools can play a big role in encouraging random acts of kindness. They can start a ‘kindness week’ where students are encouraged to do kind things for each other. They can also have a ‘kindness tree’ where students can write down their acts of kindness and hang them on the tree. This not only promotes kindness, but also creates a positive and supportive school environment.

In conclusion, random acts of kindness are small actions that can make a big difference in our world. They can help spread positivity, make people feel good, and create a sense of community. So, the next time you have the chance, do a random act of kindness. You never know how much it might mean to someone.

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Home — Essay Samples — Life — Kindness — Random Acts of Kindness: How They Benefit the Human Kind and How Technology is Being Used to Aid in These Acts

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Random Acts of Kindness: How They Benefit The Human Kind and How Technology is Being Used to Aid in These Acts

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Published: Oct 22, 2018

Words: 1763 | Pages: 4 | 9 min read

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Essay Samples on Kindness

What does kindness mean to me: a reflection.

What does kindness mean to you? Kindness, a simple yet profound gesture, holds the power to illuminate the lives of both the giver and the receiver. As I contemplate what kindness means to me, I am reminded of its transformative impact on individuals and society...

The Importance of Being Kind to Others

Kindness is a simple yet profound virtue that has the power to transform lives, communities, and the world at large. It is a universal language that transcends cultural and linguistic barriers, fostering connections and nurturing empathy. In a world often marked by division and strife,...

An Act of Kindness: The Ripple Effect of Compassion

Amid the challenges and complexities of the modern world, simple acts of kindness have the power to transcend barriers and create positive change. An act of kindness is a selfless gesture that holds the potential to touch lives, inspire others, and foster a sense of...

A Random Act of Kindness: Experiencing the Goodness of Humanity

In a world that can sometimes feel cold and distant, even the smallest acts of kindness have the power to warm our hearts and restore our faith in humanity. One such act that left a lasting impression on me was a random act of kindness...

The Three Core Values of Aging: Dignity, Kindness, and Security

In the last two centuries, life expectancy has doubled from around forty years to over eighty years in Canada and I personally believe that this is one of humanity’s most incredible feats. However; this improved longevity also presents us with one of our greatest challenges....

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Where Do You See Yourself in 5 Years: Where Is Happiness of Life

Imagine having a life all planned out, then one thing goes wrong. Oe someone passes away or they move, it could be a big or a small change, but any situation could completely alter the outlook on life. One day the glass could be half...

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Relation Between Kindness And Happiness

Kindness. Kindness is one of the most powerful forces that boost one’s happiness. We define kindness in countless terms because it holds a different meaning for everyone. From helping someone in need without searching for anything in return, being honest, respecting others' opinions, accepting others...

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Role Of Kindness And Gentleness When Giving Da’wah

Introduction The contemporary dā’ī (preacher) is one who proselytizes to non-Muslims (da’wah) and reforms wayward and ignorant Muslims (ʾiṣlāḥ). They achieve this through volunteering in local projects, encouraging engagement in religious programs and seminars, counselling people in need, enjoining good and forbidding evil (al-‘amr bil...

The Theme of Kindness and Its Loss in Shakespeare's King Lear

Within the world, kindness is a symbol of love and compassion. The values and thoughts individuals may have might differ and contrast with another, but the feeling and joy of bringing kindness into one’s heart is an undeniable sensation that can be appreciated by all...

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Tara Curb, Her Acts of Kindness Association, and Her Unique Vision of Kindness

It is a late-afternoon, November 7, 2019, on a freezing thirty-five degree and gloomy Thursday at the University of Oklahoma Bizzell Memorial Library. In one of the conference rooms held a Acts of Kindness Association meeting. Running the organization meeting was a smart young woman,...

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The Role of Kindness in the Modern World

In this world full of antagonism, we all affray for existence, but the only thing that brings peace of mind is the hand serving kindness. Remember, any time you have been mean or curt to someone and that actually made you happy? No. It never...

The Nature and Significance of Kindness in Human Societies

The quest of otherworldly rapture, or in the search of peace, the term kindness is often thrust into the mainstream throughout the years. Since childhood, adolescents are told by their elders to act kind and behave kind, typically meaning to give politeness in order to...

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Overview Of My Most Pronounced Personality Traits

Human beings have different personality traits and most likely they are influenced by their peers as well as their background. I think to myself that you can be able to define a person’s character according to their actions and preferably how they relate with people...

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Best topics on Kindness

1. What Does Kindness Mean to Me: a Reflection

2. The Importance of Being Kind to Others

3. An Act of Kindness: The Ripple Effect of Compassion

4. A Random Act of Kindness: Experiencing the Goodness of Humanity

5. The Three Core Values of Aging: Dignity, Kindness, and Security

6. Where Do You See Yourself in 5 Years: Where Is Happiness of Life

7. Relation Between Kindness And Happiness

8. Role Of Kindness And Gentleness When Giving Da’wah

9. The Theme of Kindness and Its Loss in Shakespeare’s King Lear

10. Tara Curb, Her Acts of Kindness Association, and Her Unique Vision of Kindness

11. The Role of Kindness in the Modern World

12. The Nature and Significance of Kindness in Human Societies

13. Overview Of My Most Pronounced Personality Traits

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The Unexpected Power of Random Acts of Kindness

New research shows small gestures matter even more than we may think.

Credit... Shuhua Xiong

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By Catherine Pearson

  • Sept. 2, 2022

In late August, Erin Alexander, 57, sat in the parking lot of a Target store in Fairfield, Calif., and wept. Her sister-in-law had recently died, and Ms. Alexander was having a hard day.

A barista working at the Starbucks inside the Target was too. The espresso machine had broken down and she was clearly stressed. Ms. Alexander — who’d stopped crying and gone inside for some caffeine — smiled, ordered an iced green tea, and told her to hang in there. After picking up her order, she noticed a message on the cup: “Erin,” the barista had scrawled next to a heart, “your soul is golden.”

“I’m not sure I even necessarily know what ‘your soul is golden’ means,” said Ms. Alexander, who laughed and cried while recalling the incident.

But the warmth of that small and unexpected gesture, from a stranger who had no inkling of what she was going through, moved her deeply.

“Of course, I was still really sad,” Ms. Alexander said. “But that little thing made the rest of my day.”

New findings, published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology in August, corroborate just how powerful experiences like Ms. Alexander’s can be. Researchers found that people who perform a random act of kindness tend to underestimate how much the recipient will appreciate it. And they believe that miscalculation could hold many of us back from doing nice things for others more often.

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Stories of Random Acts of Kindness Foundation Essay

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My Prosocial Day: Implementation of Kindness

Prosocial behavior.

The Random Acts of Kindness Foundation allows people to share their good stories and motivate people to do them. The main goal of the movement is to make good and friendly relationships the norm in places like work, home or school (About us, n.d.). Representatives of the website claim that their content is aimed at making people understand how important it is to take care of others (About us, n.d.). It brings a lot of happiness fore society and themselves. Stories are free to access and anyone can share their experiences to teach community how to be socially emotional.

The story that has influenced me the most is called True friends, which is told by a man named Lincoln. The author talks about how, as a child, it was difficult for them to make friends and how lonely it felt (True friends, n.d.). However, later Lincoln made friends with whom they are still friends and occasionally play basketball (True friends, n.d.). The author talks about how friends care about them and always ask if everything is fine when Lincoln looks sad (True friends, n.d.). Thus, this story had a strong impact on me, because the modern world is full of cruelty and falsehood. Finding real friends who will always help is a great happiness and luck. Moreover, many children do not make friends with others for various reasons. As a result, many suffer and it is always nice to see when someone finds support in their friends.

My day of kindness and compassion was spent in stores where I bought everything I needed to please animals in shelters a little. My basic opinion has always been that man should be responsible for domesticated animals. If someone alone could not do this, then together society is capable of much. There are many shelters in the area and often they need a lot of things, food and toys to keep the animals normal. I made a shopping list and after completing it, I went to one of the shelters to hand over the purchases to its representatives.

I found out about what I need to buy on the website of the shelter, which indicates what is currently lacking for dogs. Moreover, I bought food for volunteers at the shelter, as they work hard and get tired. I helped the shelter, because it seems to me that people and the state allocate insufficient funds and attention to these organizations. Animals cannot take care of themselves and are doomed to a starving life on the street. In addition, they often find themselves in such a position because of the cruelty of people. All these thoughts led me to want to dedicate my day to helping animals. Moreover, I bought food for volunteers at the shelter, as they work hard and get tired.

Many people think that some people do good deeds out of vanity and a desire to appear better than they are. I don’t agree with this and helped the animal shelter not out of a search for fame, but compassion. Cages and volunteers will never replace a home with a loving family for animals. The realization of this made me sad and sorry, but when I realized that I could make their life even a little better, I was delighted.

The strongest feelings were pride in myself when I realized how simple and important it is to help those who are weaker. In a moment, I felt absolute happiness and joy that I could make the world a little better. Thanks to this reaction, when others are happy and oneself is happy from this, the desire to help others has become stronger. In addition, it is important to understand that the reaction of others is important and has a strong influence.

The whole family supported the decision to purchase needs for animals and was delighted with my mood and idea. For me, this was vital, because I wanted to share my slavery with my loved ones, and their attitude gave me strength. In addition, I was extremely pleased with the reaction of employees and volunteers when I arrived with purchases. They thanked me for a long time and showed me how they do their job.

As part of prosocial behavior, people care about the feelings, issues, rights, and well-being of others. My family has always told me to take care of those who are unable to take care of themselves. When I was little, we volunteered with animals and poor people. Thus, from this exercise, I realized that the motivation of people to do good deeds directly depends on what their parents invested in them in childhood.

However, the desire to help others can be cultivated in adulthood. At the shelter, I met enough older people who started volunteering in middle age or after retirement. This is an amazing experience that shows that the desire to do good comes from the depths of the soul. Perhaps it fades into the background with time and people do not have enough strength for something other than themselves or family, but as my experience has shown, people will return to this one day. I do not always have the opportunity to set aside a whole day to help others, but if I succeed, then I feel good and strong, despite the fatigue. Thus, based on this exercise, I believe that the happiness of others makes the world around you brighter.

Religion has always guided people and helped them to do good deeds. As a Christian, from my childhood I watched helping those in need and participated in many charitable acts. My faith is based on the fact that a person cannot pass by the misfortune of another. The Bible says: “finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous” (Peter 3:8). God calls for people to be good-natured and not leave their neighbors alone with their problems.

My Christian upbringing tells me that people can be cruel. However, if you have a lot of goodness and love inside, helping others is an expression of your attitude towards the Lord. Moreover, Christianity constantly proclaims inner harmony as a necessity. This state is achieved not through worldly entertainment, but by service to the benefit of society. I use faith to not be afraid of being judged or not understanding why I aid others. It gives me strength, even if someone does not agree with my lifestyle. In conclusion, my pro-social day made me feel stronger and more aware of the happiness that comes from helping other people.

About us . (n.d.). Random Acts of Kindness Foundation. Web.

King James Bible . (2008). Oxford University Press.

True friends . (n.d.). Random Acts of Kindness Foundation. Web.

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How to Practice Random Acts of Kindness

Ideas for random acts of kindness to boost your well-being..

Updated December 31, 2023 | Reviewed by Devon Frye

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Have you ever done something nice for someone else "just because"? It wasn’t to repay them or because you had to—it was simply because you wanted to. Well, then, you’ve done a random act of kindness! Read on to learn how to do more random acts of kindness in your life to boost your mood and improve the lives of others.

Kindness is one of the most valued character strengths in Western society (​​Binfet, 2015). We like kind people, so being kind can help us be liked.

Beyond that, being kind has been shown to boost not only others’ well-being but also our own well-being. For example, if we spend more money on others we are generally happier, and if we volunteer to help others, we are generally healthier (Curry et al., 2018).

Given that kindness helps us build healthy relationships with others—others who may be able to protect and support us—evolutionary psychologists believe that kindness makes us happy because it helps us survive and thrive. This may be especially true when we help family, friends, community members, and spouses (Curry et al., 2018).

Photo by DESIGNECOLOGIST on Unsplash

Random acts of kindness are acts performed by a person wishing to either help or positively affect another person (Passmore & Oades, 2015). Sometimes random acts of kindness are defined as kind acts that one does only for someone they don’t know (Baskerville et al., 2000), but this doesn’t seem to be the magic ingredient (Curry et al., 2018).

Who Practices Random Acts of Kindness?

Researchers suggest that some people are more likely to practice random acts of kindness than others. Here are some of the things that might lead us to be kind:

  • Witnessing our parents engage in random acts of kindness likely makes it more likely that we will too. Monkey see monkey do, right?
  • If someone tells us that we’re kind, we might also be more likely to engage in random acts of kindness.
  • Kindness is contagious—so if we see someone else showing kindness, we are more likely to show kindness (Baskerville et al., 2000).

Examples of Random Acts of Kindness

Many of us want to try random acts of kindness but were just not sure how. What exactly is a random act of kindness anyway? To get you a sense of what we’re talking about, here are a few examples:

  • Giving compliments
  • Giving gifts
  • Saying kind words
  • Showing gratitude
  • Doing an act of service for someone else
  • Being respectful
  • Noticing good things that others do
  • Giving your time to someone else

Can Kids Practice Random Acts of Kindness?

There has been a recent push to teach children how to engage in prosocial acts like random acts of kindness (​​Binfet, 2015). Given how we learn everything easier when we’re young, it makes sense to encourage kids to engage in random acts of kindness. But what does kindness mean when it comes to children?

Kids are not totally unlike adults. According to researchers, kids’ perspective of kindness is that it is “an act of emotional or physical support that helps build or maintain relationships with others” (Binfet & Gaertner, 2015, pp. 36-37). Given this definition, what might be some random acts of kindness for kids? Here are some ideas.

  • Sharing crayons or other supplies with other kids
  • Giving someone a gift like a sticker, flower, or colorful eraser
  • Saying thanks to a fellow student for help with schoolwork
  • Telling friends what you like about them
  • Offering to help mom or dad make dinner
  • Bringing extra snacks in your lunchbox for kids who don’t have any

essay on my random acts of kindness

Kindness is a fantastic tool to use to grow your well-being. It’s not only good for you but has a positive impact on others. Hopefully, you discovered some ways to practice random acts of kindness so that you can more easily implement this tool in your real life.

Adapted from an article on random acts of kindness published by The Berkeley Well-Being Institute.

Tchiki Davis, Ph.D.

Tchiki Davis, Ph.D. , is a consultant, writer, and expert on well-being technology.

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Can Random Acts of Kindness Increase Wellbeing? (+ 22 Ideas)

random acts of kindness

When you consider the times when you’ve practice random acts of kindness, what past practices come to mind?

I found myself thinking of this question as I wrote this blog because it’s a good question to ask, “ When did I give of myself without expecting anything in return? ”.

This piece has some really great resources and explanations of RAK’s and how to live it throughout your days.

Before you continue, we thought you might like to download our three Positive Psychology Exercises for free . These science-based exercises will explore fundamental aspects of positive psychology including strengths, values, and self-compassion, and will give you the tools to enhance the wellbeing of your clients, students, or employees.

This Article Contains

What is a random act of kindness, a look at the psychology and science of kindness, can kindness impact our wellbeing, positive psychology and kindness, how unexpected acts of kindness can make a difference, the random acts of kindness foundation, putting theory into practice, lesson plans for teachers, 9 apps to help practice kindness, 4 books on the topic, 7 recommended youtube videos, a take-home message.

A Random Act of Kindness is giving your best self to others without requests or promise of return on investment. It’s simply doing something nice for someone else, without them asking and without you doing it for anything in return.

Kindness is interesting, in that unlike an emotion such as happiness , or a feeling and action like gratitude, kindness is mostly a behavior or action.

Through years of experience, we each have been trained in our thoughts and perspectives of what kindness is, what it means, what the intention behind someone’s kindness is, so that it is often lost what the kind act is.

People are more likely (and it may be something in our genetic code that we’ve learned over the years) to give more to those with whom they have a closer relationship with than those that are of an acquaintance level (Burnstein, Crandall, & Kitayama, 1994; Cialdini, Brown, Lewis, Luce, & Neuberg, 1997).

People with certain job titles and duties or even roles in their social environment at home like helping professionals or parents may be expected to offer acts of kindness (Bryan, 2009; Davey & Eggebeen, 1998).

Gift-giving seems to induce expectation of reciprocity, or in other words, a social exchange and equity in a relationship are valued with gifts (Gouldner, 1960; Uehara, 1995; Clark & Mills, 1979; Thibaut & Kely, 1959; Walster, Berscheid, & Walster, 1973).

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First, let’s define each of these terms. Kindness means being nice or offering the best of yourself to someone whether it be a minute, second, or longer.

Wellbeing is a bit trickier to define but in the simplest terms, it means “ the state of being comfortable, healthy, or happy ” (Google Dictionary). If we look at the research side of things, the CDC has a definition of wellbeing that is all-inclusive (CDC, n.d.).

In the most general sense, wellbeing is a positive outcome that is a determinant for people throughout all societies of how their lives are going (Frey & Stutzer, 2002; Andrews & Withey, 1976; Diener, 2000; Ryff & Keyes, 1995; Diener, Suh & Oishi, 1997; Veenhoven, 2008).

At a minimum, the fundamentals for wellbeing are adequate living conditions (e.g., housing, employment) (Frey & Stutzer, 2002; Andrews & Withey, 1976; Diener, 2000; Ryff & Keyes, 1995; Diener, Suh & Oishi, 1997; Veenhoven, 2008).

As the term “wellbeing” is used across disciplines, there is no consensus on the definition of wellbeing. At a minimum, there is an agreement across disciplines that wellbeing includes

  • the presence of positive emotions and moods (e.g., contentment, happiness);
  • the absence of negative emotions (e.g., depression, anxiety);
  • satisfaction with life;
  • fulfillment and,
  • positive functioning.

(Frey & Stutzer, 2002; Andrews & Withey, 1976; Diener, 2000; Ryff & Keyes, 1995; Diener, Suh, Oishi, 1997; Veenhoven, 2008)

14 Proven Benefits

The wonderful part of random acts of kindness is that there are not only benefits to the receiver but also to the giver. When we break down the benefits, we need to first look at the emotions that are associated with random acts of kindness. An important note is that emotional responses are based on whether they are normative or non-normative distinction (Exline, Lisan, & Lisan, 2012).

  • Recipients of kindness can feel loved.
  • Recipients and givers of kindness can experience a sense of awe when they think about profound acts of love or virtue.
  • Whether you are recipient or giver or merely just a witness you can feel the benefits of an increase in oxytocin. Oxytocin is commonly called the “love hormone” and this helps to lower blood pressure, improve overall heart health, increase self-esteem and optimism.
  • Kindness can increase the feeling of strength and energy due to helping others.
  • Kindness can also make one feel calmer.
  • Less depressed.
  • Increased feelings of self-worth.
  • For those that volunteer their time or money for charitable causes, they often have fewer aches and pains.
  • Kindness is most similar to a medical anti-depressant. Kindness pushes your body to produce serotonin, which is commonly known as the “feel-good” chemical that provides healing and calming feelings.
  • Kindness decreases pain, by generating endorphins (the brain’s natural painkiller).
  • Stress, it has been shown that people that are more kind have 23% less cortisol (the stress hormone) and age slower than the average population.
  • Anxiety, the University of British Columbia did a study on a group of highly anxious individuals in which they performed at least 6 acts of kindness a week. After one month, there was a significant increase in positive moods, relationship satisfaction and a decrease in social avoidance in socially anxious individuals.
  • Depression is reduced, mortality is delayed, and wellbeing and good fortune are improved when we give of ourselves.
  • Lowering blood pressure from giving acts of kindness, creates emotional warmth, which releases a hormone known as oxytocin. Oxytocin causes the release of a chemical called nitric oxide, which dilates the blood vessels. This reduces blood pressure, and therefore, oxytocin is known as a “cardioprotective” hormone. It protects the heart by lowering blood pressure.

Sources: Cassidy & Shaver, 2008; Mikulincer & Shaver, 2007; Keltner & Haidt, 2003; The Random Acts of Kindness Foundation, n.d; Stephen Post, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine.

Research and Studies

Research is just at the precipice of trying to understand the positive effects that random acts of kindness can give.

I have highlighted two studies I have found while researching this topic. Hopefully, this will give you more insight into the current understanding of kindness as an intervention and the multiple modalities it can be used in.

Reflecting on acts of kindness toward the self: Emotions, generosity, and the role of social norms (Exline, Lisan, & Lisan, 2012)

Researchers, Exline, Morck Lisan, and Lisan, looked at how reflecting on acts of kindness toward the self could affect emotions, generosity, and the role of social norms. For example, they asked, “ How do people respond, in terms of emotion and behavior, when prompted to recall an act of kindness from another person? ”

By carrying out two studies, these researchers were able to gather responses based on whether kindness was seen as normative – meaning based on past experience, and what behavior does that act of kindness fall in line. Their results showed that normative kindnesses were linked with more positiv e emotion and less negati ve emotion than non-normative kindnesses.

On the whole, these findings suggest that recalling normative kindnesses will increase mood or generosity.

Loving-kindness and compassion meditation: Potential for psychological interventions (Hofmann, Grossman & Hinton, 2011)

Contemporary psychology is researching more and more on the impact that mindful ness meditation can have on a person. In this study, Hoffman, Grossman, and Hinton look at loving-kindness and compassion meditations to see how impactful they would be as an intervention.

There is evidence to show that using LKM and CM have an associated effect of an increase in positive affect and a decrease in negative affect.

In neuroendocrine studies, preliminary results are showing that CM may decrease stress-induced subjective suffering and immune response. “Neuroimaging studies insinuate that LKM and CM may improve activation of brain areas that are involved in emotional processing and empathy” (Hofmann et al. 2011).

Interesting Statistics

The research and science on common outcomes, behaviors, emotions in positive psychology are increasing by the year. In 2010, the Harvard Business School conducted a survey on happiness in 136 countries. Through this study , they found evidence that people who were generous financially, like with charitable donations, were the happiest overall.

Christine Carter’s “ Raising Happiness: In Pursuit of Joyful Kids and Happier Parents ,” has found that giving of yourself to others can help protect your heart, literally. Giving can decrease your risk of heart disease.

In addition, it has been found that for people who are 55 years or older and volunteer, have their risk for dying early cut in half.

So, they have a “ 44% lower likelihood of dying early, and that’s after sifting out every other contributing factor, including physical health, exercise, gender, habits like smoking, marital status, and many more. This is a stronger effect than exercising four times a week or going to church ” (Carter, 2011).

An example of how, just by thinking, our body will react physically to these impulses is by the idea of moving our right arm. When you physically do so, new connections are created in a part of the brain called the motor cortex. Now, just thinking about moving your right arm, and imagining moving it over and over again can actually make the muscles in this same arm stronger.

Because of thoughts about the arm, cellular changes can happen. This reinforces the belief that no matter what one is thinking about, chemical reactions occur in the brain and can, therefore, lead to structural changes. We can create millions of new connections in our brains just by thinking compassionate thoughts.

The structure of our brains can be formed by our emotions. All your inspirations, motivations, loves, fears, hopes and dreams, and even your typical body language are wired into your brain in the form of connections between cells. These connections become so extensive over time that they even wire into 3-D networks, or circuits, as they are often called.

Acts of kindness, then, find their way into the chemistry and structure of our brain. If kindness becomes a habit, we can significantly alter the wiring of our brain. In fact, as we will examine later the brain is already wired for kindness. But we are always adding to and changing that wiring.

Throughout life, as we learn new things, grow, change our minds and even change our habits, new networks of new brain connections are laid down and old networks unravel.

This neuroplasticity occurs right up until the very last seconds of our lives. One of the benefits of it is that it actually allows the brain to get over injury and disease, as healthy brain cells compensate for damaged ones by sprouting new connections to take over some of their communications or pass the information through the brain by a slightly different route. (Hamilton, 2010).

Your brain is wired in the form of connections between cells where over time all of your feelings, emotions, and body language is wired extensively into these circuits. Therefore we can change the wiring of our brain through simple acts of kindness becoming a habit in our everyday lives.

Our brains seem to be initially set up for kindness, but we alter and change that wiring by learning, growing, and modifying our minds and habits over time. As this happens, new connections are made and the ones that were already there can be reformed. This actually allows for healthy brain cells to overcome the damaged ones by passing information throughout the brain in different ways when we are injured or fallen ill.

Numerous studies have indicated that people tend to be kinder and more compassionate toward others than themselves.

Yet random acts of kindness should also include being kind and compassionate toward yourself.

Practicing warmth and understanding toward ourselves, rather than self-criticism, can significantly enhance our resilience and overall wellbeing (Neff & McGehee, 2010). 

If you are motivated to develop self-compassion, follow these four steps. During this exercise, imagine a hypothetical scenario or reflect on a  situation from your life. Pay close attention to the tone of your inner voice in each scenario, and write down your responses to these self-reflection questions.

With continued practice in showing compassion to yourself, it will gradually become more natural and ingrained in your behavior. So, the next time things don’t go as planned in your life, try treating yourself as you would treat a good friend and observe the positive outcomes that may arise.

essay on my random acts of kindness

Unexpected Acts of Kindness can make ALL of the difference to everyone around. Included in kindness is not only compassion but acknowledgment.

At the root of every issue and every emotion is the need for acknowledgment, and it is what makes being human and living so beautiful.

We each are able to acknowledge one another in the simplest of ways that we are human, we are in need, and we are in awe of all that there is to appreciate amongst us.

The Random Acts of Kindness foundation offers ideas, inspiration, posters, videos, quotes, calendars, printables all centered on random acts of kindness. It is headed by its president, Gary Dixon; Vice President – Brooke Jones; Rachel Stubby is the Director of Digital Strategy; and Karina Delaney is the Director of Strategic Partnerships.

RAK foundation’s goal is to make kindness a standard in all aspects of life.

When is Random Acts of Kindness Day?

Random Acts of Kindness day is February 17.

Do 20 Random Acts of Kindness to celebrate.

Check out our lists below for inspiration.

As you’re reading the science behind kindness and living a positive life, make sure to think of your own daily routine. In your day to day, whom do you see or interact with? Spouse? Family? Friends? Co-workers? Or fellow bus or train riders?

Make the effort to reach out and show kindness to them as you have read throughout the article and/or will finish reading you can see there are emotional, physical and neurological benefits to kindness for anyone who puts this into practice.

5 Examples of Random Acts of Kindness

Here are six great examples of Random Acts of Kindness. It’s so interesting to see how each of them are so different.

  • Ikea in Catania, Italy is letting stray dogs sleep on its rugs this winter.
  • 250 people form a human chain to help their local bookshop, October Books in Southampton, move its stock 150 meters to the new shop.
  • Eli Goldstone, took to Twitter after seeing a book that greatly appealed to her. She asked her followers sincerely but not seriously if they could help track the book for her. A fellow Twitter user saw her post and offered to send the book to her.
  • A group of girls was taking classic bathroom “selfies” on their night out at a casino in Canada when a woman noticed and offered to take their pictures for them. The lady said that she remembered when she and her friends used to go out, and how much fun it was. The girls offered for her to come with them .
  • A woman and her family were dining out at a Chinese restaurant in late 2016. The woman had recently lost her hair due to chemotherapy treatment. A fellow diner paid for her and her family’s dinner and wrote a note to explain: The note says, “I lost my wife to cancer 5 years ago. I know how tough it can be going through this. Your meal is on me. Merry Christmas .”

6 Random Acts of Kindness Ideas

Check out this quick list of 6 Random Acts of Kindness Ideas I pulled together after searching the Internet for some of the most meaningful ones that you can do easily throughout your week.

  • When in line to get your morning coffee, pay for the person behind you.
  • Whoever you interact with today, if it’s 3-50, compliment the first two people.
  • Pick up your phone and open your text-messaging app – send a positive text to 4 people.
  • Donate items in your home that you haven’t used in the past year.
  • Leave some spare quarters at the laundromat for someone to find.
  • When at the store, leave any extra not-used coupons next to the products for someone to find that could really use them.

6 Ideas Specifically for Strangers

Check out this list of 5 ideas for random acts of kindness

  • When parking your car, take out a piece of paper and pen. Leave a note to a fellow car (driver ☺) to let them know that they did an amazing job at parking.
  • Smile genuinely at 5 strangers throughout your day.
  • Take some flowers or sweet treats to a nurse’s station at a nearby hospital.
  • Give up your seat so someone else can sit on the train or bus.
  • Hold the door open for someone.
  • Make a goodie bag of treats, canned food, and warm gloves, socks or a hat and give it to a homeless person.

RAK at Work: 5 Ideas for Employees and Co-Workers

  • Send an out-of-the-blue gratitude email to a co-worker and let them know how grateful you are for them.
  • When on a team call, do a heartfelt shout-out to one of your co-workers that did an awesome job on a project
  • Get your workplace in on the action, and organize a fundraiser or charity drive.
  • Help others connect by using your personal network and share with a co-worker.
  • Let your boss know that you appreciate them and the way they _______ (you fill in the blank).

Random Acts of Kindness to Practice with Kids

There are many ways to teach kids how to be kind and how to do it randomly. A great way of learning about kindness and the benefits for both the recipient and the giver is to practice it.

Here are ten ways that kids can practice random acts of kindness as stated from “100 Acts of Kindness for Kids” from the Cups and Crayons website.

  • Leave change in the vending machine, for someone to use when they are hungry.
  • Sit with a new kid at school.
  • Introduce the new kid at school to your friends.
  • At the end of the school day, tell your teacher thank you for a great day of learning.
  • When you get home from school, tell your parents or guardian how much you missed them.

6 Ideas for High School Students to ‘Pay it Forward’

  • Write a thank-you note to the cafeteria staff.
  • Sit with a classmate that is not sitting with anyone at lunchtime.
  • Offer to tutor a fellow classmate on a subject that you excel at.
  • Tell a teacher how much you appreciate them and their style of teaching.
  • Tell your parents thank you.
  • Genuinely compliment 1 person every day.

essay on my random acts of kindness

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Check out these awesome lesson plans for teachers. Included are great ways to integrate random acts of kindness into their student’s learning.

First, check out the Random Acts of Kindness official website to see all the great lesson plans they have for kindergarten to 8th grade. Each of the lessons teaches kids Social Emotional (SEL) skills.

Next check out Edutopia’s website , by Rebecca Alber. This is a great place to find classroom activities and resources for developing a vital character trait.

To get you started, scroll down a little bit to see the Kick-Start Kindness Activities. It provides students with prompts to share kindness to friends and family, and writing prompts, as well as how to do shout-outs, appreciation boxes, temperature checks, the buddy-system, and community circle.

RAK Activities and Worksheets

I’ve collated some RAK activities and worksheets that you can share with your children or students.

This Worksheet Place has some fun Acts of Kindness worksheets , ideally used for First to Third Graders. There’s even a fun worksheet where the student can create a Kindness Poem.

Teachers Pay Teachers is a really fun site to find resources made by fellow teachers for other teachers. There is an option to digitally download free content. You can download worksheets, games, RAK calendars, and RAK challenges.

Other Resources and Printables (PDF)

Here are some other resources to have fun with while learning and being kind:

The Doing Good Together site has some awesome resources . Some of the resources are Feelings flashcards and games, ways to include kindness into your family routine, and how to advocate for animals.

The Random Acts of Kindness website has some cool posters for your classroom, calendars, coloring pages, bookmarks, and even an award certificate for the student that shows kindness.

Random Acts of Kindness Advent Calendar

So many children have fun with this Kindness Advent Calendar , print it out and use when it’s Advent.

Check out these 12 apps recommended helping you practice kindness (Theifels, 2016; Goodnet.org, 2014).

1. Toca Pet Doctor

Students take care of pets that are ailing from different diagnoses. They could be suffering from physical or emotional pain, and each needs help with tasks. Some of the tasks include feeding, or overcoming sadness. Ages 2-6.

You can get the app here .

2. The Great Kindness Challenge: School Edition

Provides the kids with ideas for random acts of kindness like smile at 25 people, or pick up 10 pieces of trash. The students can do them together or individually, and set goals as they go. Ages 4-18.

Available at iTunes .

3. Avokiddo Emotions

This app has a variety of animals with a wide range of personalities. Kids can play dress up, feed the animals and share toys. The animals “react appropriately” to the choices that the child makes in the game, teaching kids how to recognize facial expressions. Ages 5 and under.

4. Four Little Corners

Four Little Corners is an interactive storybook app that teaches lessons on tolerance, equality, and compassion by integrating geometry. Ages 5 and under.

5. Peek-a-Zoo

Peek-a-Zoo is a multilingual app that is based on the peek-a-boo game. It teaches the child about faces and facial expressions. Ages 5 and under.

6. Wee You-Things

Wee You-Things shares interesting stories on diversity, empathy, and confidence. It shows how it’s great to be unique, and “you”. Ages 5 and under.

Available here at iTunes .

7. DPS from the Social Express

DPS from the Social Express is for elementary-aged kids and helps kids identify and label emotions. DPS stands for My Digital Problem Solver. Ages 6+.

8. Middle School Confidential 1 and 2

This app teaches healthy ways to handle issues unique to middle school. As you open the app you can see that 6 characters are with you to navigate throughout different social situations. There are quizzes, resources, and tips from other kids. Ages 8-14.

Apps for Adults

1. pay it forward.

Is from the official app of the Global Pay it Forward movement that was designed to make the world a better place to live (5 Apps that will increase our kindness quotient).

1. The Little Book of Kindness: Everyday actions to change your life and the world around you – Bernadette Russell

The Little Book of Kindness

Prompted by the seeming hopelessness of the world around her, Bernadette Russell undertook a pledge to be kind to a stranger every day for a year. The experience left her wanting to inspire others.

The Little Book of Kindness is packed with fun ideas, practical tips and interactive exercises that encourage you to ‘be kind’ in every area of life – online, to strangers, to the environment, in your community, to yourself – and change the world, one act of kindness at a time.

Available from Amazon .

2. The Opposite of Hate: A Field Guide to Repairing Our Humanity – Sally Kohn

The Opposite of Hate: A Field Guide to Repairing Our Humanity

Her viral TED Talk on the need to practice emotional—rather than political—correctness sparked a new way of considering how often we amplify our differences and diminish our connections.

Available from  Amazon .

3. Each Kindness (Jane Addams Award Book (Awards)) – Jacqueline Woodson

Each Kindness

Chloe and her friends won’t play with the new girl, Maya. Every time Maya tries to join Chloe and her friends, they reject her. Eventually, Maya stops coming to school.

When Chloe’s teacher gives a lesson about how even small acts of kindness can change the world, Chloe is stung by the lost opportunity for friendship and thinks about how much better it could have been if she’d shown a little kindness toward Maya.

4. Chicken Soup for the Soul: Random Acts of Kindness: 101 Stories of Compassion and Paying it Forward – Amy Newark

Chicken Soup for the Soul: Random Acts of Kindness

From random acts of kindness to doing what’s right, this book shows how positive attitudes and good deeds can change the world.

This book shines a bright light on the widespread goodwill in our world as everyday heroes demonstrate acts of kindness, compassion, and commitment to others.

The stories in Chicken Soup for the Soul: Random Acts of Kindness will uplift you, inspire you, and brighten your day.

When one person sets in motion an act of kindness that is passed along to others.

Orly Wahba takes us through a personal journey of changing the world through the power of kindness.

Acts of Kindness that have made the world a better place.

A guided relaxation meditation using loving-kindness.

How you treat others is ultimately who you are. Motivation for being kind.

The scientifically-proven benefits of being kind to others.

Mark Kelly encourages us to complete one act of kindness each day to change lives.

No kind action ever stops with itself. One kind action leads to another. Good example is followed. A single act of kindness throws out roots in all directions, and the roots spring up and make new trees. The greatest work that kindness does to others is that it makes them kind themselves.

Amelia Earhart

No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.
For beautiful eyes, look for the good in others; for beautiful lips, speak only words of kindness; and for poise, walk with the knowledge that you are never alone.

Audrey Hepburn

Kindness is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see.
Goodness is about character – integrity, honesty, kindness, generosity, moral courage, and the like. More than anything else, it is about how we treat other people.

Dennis Prager

Kindness in words creates confidence. Kindness in thinking creates profoundness. Kindness in giving creates love.
A little thought and a little kindness are often worth more than a great deal of money.

John Ruskin

A warm smile is the universal language of kindness.

William Arthur Ward

A tree is known by its fruit; a man by his deeds. A good deed is never lost; he who sows courtesy reaps friendship, and he who plants kindness gathers love.

Saint Basil

Here are the values that I stand for: honesty, equality, kindness, compassion, treating people the way you want to be treated and helping those in need. To me, those are traditional values.

Ellen DeGeneres

My religion is simple. My religion is kindness.
Remember there’s no such thing as a small act of kindness. Every act creates a ripple with no logical end.

Scott Adams

Kindness is in our power, even when fondness is not.

Samuel Johnson

To practice five things under all circumstances constitutes perfect virtue; these five are gravity, generosity of soul, sincerity, earnestness, and kindness.
Whether one believes in religion or not, and whether one believes in rebirth or not, there isn’t anyone who doesn’t appreciate kindness and compassion.
In Asian languages, the word for ‘mind’ and the word for ‘heart’ are same. So, if you’re not hearing mindfulness in some deep way as heartfulness, you’re not really understanding it. Compassion and kindness towards oneself are intrinsically woven into it. You could think of mindfulness as wise and affectionate attention.

Jon Kabat-Zinn

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I hope that you got some great ideas and actionable items that you can integrate into your life. This article was a true refresher in what it means to be human sharing our lives with one another – even if we don’t know each other.

If you are a teacher, I hope you were able to capture all the wonderful resources we provided to show your students.

If you are just a searcher for ways to be inspired, there are some incredibly helpful tips, resources (apps, books) that can further you on your journey of being kind.

We hope you enjoyed reading this article. Don’t forget to download our three Positive Psychology Exercises for free .

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  • Marks, N. F., & Song, J. (2009). Compassionate motivation and compassionate acts across the adult life course: Evidence from US national studies. In B. Fehr, S. Sprecher, & L.G. Underwood (Eds.), The science of compassionate love: Theory, research, and applications (pp. 121–158). Malden, MA: Wiley.
  • Mikulincer, M., & Shaver, P. R. (2007). Attachment in adulthood: Structure, dynamics, and change . New York, NY: Guilford.
  • Neff, K. D., & McGehee, P. (2010). Self-compassion and psychological resilience among adolescents and young adults. Self and Identity, 9(3) , 225-240.
  • Ryff C. D., & Keyes C. L. M. (1995). The structure of psychological well-being revisited. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology ; 69(4):719–727.
  • The Random Acts of Kindness Foundation (n.d.) https://www.randomactsofkindness.org/the-science-of-kindness.
  • Theifels, J. (2016). 10 Great Apps to Promote Kindness in the Classroom. Getting Smart. Retrieved 3 March 2019 from: https://www.gettingsmart.com/2016/12/best-apps-promote-kindness-classroom/
  • Thibaut, J. W., & Kelley, H. H. (1959). The social psychology of groups. New York, NY: Wiley.
  • Veenhoven R. (2008). Sociological theories of subjective well-being. In: Eid, M., & Larsen, R. J. (2008). The science of subjective well-being . New York: Guilford Press; 44–61.
  • Walster, E., Berscheid, E., & Walster, G. W. (1973). New directions in equity research. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 25, 151–176.

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Amy

This article helped me a lot! It changed my mind about a few people!

Hartley

I love this, its sweet, and more people should be this kind because a lot of people are very bad and rude, we need to be more kind to others

:)

Guys just less your depression. its simple <3

Jessica Romero

This is great

Jose Romero

Dear friends, Thanks a lot to make me reading this article in full. 1. What’s the based of kindness ? 2. What’s the power to take action of kindness? Thanks.

Nicole Celestine

Hi Suryadarma,

Thank you for your questions. I’m not sure I understand your second question — could you please phrase this differently? But regarding the first, which I assume is about drivers of kindness 🙂 there are a few theories about why we are motivated to be kind. The Wikipedia page on ‘Helping Behaviors’ actually offers a pretty good summary of these. Among the theories there are perspectives based in evolutionary perspectives, boosting our own egos, and social exchange. It’s an interesting read!

– Nicole | Community Manager

Tucker Albright

It is a great article for studying.

Tim Bramwell

Hello, I finally had a chance to read this article in full, and especially liked the the suggested acts of kindness for your readers. At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, I became part of a team that realised that kindness was going to be part of the recovery process and decided to build a web application. We are building Seekindness.org as a social engagement to encourage and recognise random acts of kindness on regular (daily) basis. Not being medical people, we don’t understand the “stages of kindness” that an individual goes through to regularly recognise kindness. My thoughts that some RAK’s are very small, and yet provide the same benefits as larger, more publically recognisable ones. If you have the inclination, I would appreciate your views on that question. Thanks.

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essay on my random acts of kindness

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The Random Acts of Kindness: Key Issues

Introduction, works cited.

In today’s world, not many people understand what kindness actually means and what benefits may be observed. For example, a man is confident of his kindness when he holds a door in an elevator or gives a seat to a pregnant woman or the elderly. However, it is necessary not to confuse kindness with ordinary decency. The value of kindness is usually disregarded, and individuals forget about compassion, selflessness, and happiness that are associated with the chosen concept. This presentation focuses on the action known as a “random act of kindness,” when people are ready to offer their help to the whole world, regardless of the existing social, financial, or ethical inequalities. During the pandemic era, such attitudes are highly appreciated because a person alone cannot resist the COVID challenges alone, but society, as a whole, is able to survive, demonstrating kind and supporting behaviors. Random acts of kindness have their unique backgrounds and solid outcomes, and it is high time to find new reasons for sharing positive emotions and helping each other.

  • A number of activities are frequently promoted as a part of this holiday, including sharing the line in a store, donating to shelters, or sending encouraging texts.
  • Many organizations find it interesting to participate in sharing their services or products for free and demonstrate their care for the population.
  • People find it normal to help each other if they have close relationships, and random acts of kindness expand similar actions at an acquaintance level (Stoerkel).
  • Promoting acts of kindness during COVID-19 has already become popular and is revealed through sharing essential product, visiting friends distantly, or celebrating the joys of life (McDermott)
  • Those who receive kindness feel loved and forget about current problems or unpleasant situations, at least for some moment.
  • For example, it is possible to appreciate the work of some customer service manager and leave positive feedback, which may result in financial benefit for an employee (Random Acts of Kindness Foundation).
  • Kindness is closely connected to increased self-esteem and optimism, which reduces the risks of depression, anxiety, or another mental disorder (Stoerkel).
  • Some community services are limited due to social isolation, and if individuals start meeting their needs distantly, they can avoid multiple problems.
  • It could happen that one person lacks something, and another person has extra, and kindness is what makes people share and gain control of shortages.
  • Instead of buying another pair of shoes or watching a phone, the Random Acts of Kindness Foundation suggests buying a coffee to a stranger in line and observing positive emotions and unbelievable rewarding.
  • Unfortunately, today, it is not common for teachers to hear “Thank you” from students, and these acts of kindness remind people that the best feelings can be provoked by simple actions (Stoerkel).

Millions of modern people are preoccupied with a variety of complex goals, difficult plans, and high expectations. Relying mostly on their technologies and the already established standards, society has forgotten about simple but essential values and qualities like kindness, support, and mutual help. Random Acts of Kindness is an idea that aims at the restoration of old traditions and human factors that were in demand in former times. However, it is not enough to expect kindness from someone, but it is better to become the authors of kind thoughts and actions. It is always easy for people to wait for something good from others, neglecting the possibility of real contributions to social development and community perfection. Random acts of kindness are created by people and for people, and this type of cooperation is probably the last chance not to lose humanity in a constantly changing world.

McDermott, Marie Tae. “Helping One Another During the Pandemic.” The New York Times , 2020.

Random Acts of Kindness Foundation. “50 Kindness Ideas for Random Acts of Kindness Day.” Random Acts of Kindness , 2017.

Stoerkel, Erika. “Can Random Acts of Kindness Increase Well-Being? (Incl. 22 Ideas).” Positive Psychology , 2020.

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essay on my random acts of kindness

  • Academic Writing / Essay Style / Online Writing Instruction / Teaching

Acts of Kindness: Narrative Writing

by Purdue Global Academic Success Center and Writing Center · Published December 13, 2013 · Updated December 9, 2013

Acts of Kindness

David Werner

December 1, 2013

Floyd, Lloyd, Elwood, Woodrow, and David are not historical figures, except in their native Ithaca, N.Y.; but David was my father the others my Uncles – all part of the generation who saved the world in WWII.

They were all just kids, some underage, when they volunteered for the Army Air Corp. and piloted everything from the B-17 and B-29 to the P-47 and P-51.  They flew more than 25 missions a piece as pilots and co-pilots; which far exceeded the Air Corp. standards.  The mortality rates of pilots jumped after just thirteen missions and it was almost a given that pilots flying more than 25 missions would not return.

In my book they were heroes and, as a kid, I remember hearing some of the stories.  Being a kid I especially liked the ones about them “pissing in their pants” as anti-aircraft fire was going off all around them.  It was funny to them too, since all five survived, but they never glamorized the war or thought of themselves as heroes.  There was a job to be done and they did it.

After the war they did what that generation was expected to do.  They came home, married, started families, and worked to support their families.  Even in peacetime, there was a job to be done and they did it.

My father, as many of that generation, was not openly emotional or affectionate.  He loved us and would do anything for his family, but in his own very quiet and humble way.

The only time I ever saw him break down was when my mother died.  He loved her so much and was so paralyzed by grief he could not function.  I was thirteen at the time, and the oldest, so it fell upon me make all of the funeral arrangements and to help in any way I could for the next month or so.  This time, there was a job to be done so I did it.

My father was capable of many acts of sacrifice and kindness.  Of course he never told me about them but I still hear stories about him today.

About a month ago I was standing in line at the pharmacy to pick up a prescription.  When it was my turn, I simply said “Pickup for Werner.”

This very old woman standing next to me turned and asked, “Are you Blanche’s boy?”  I told her I was and she told me how close she had been to my parents and that my father was the greatest man who ever lived.

By now, the rest of the crowd in line edged a bit closer to eavesdrop.

She went on to tell stories about my mother and father and finally asked me how I felt about my grandmother.

My grandmother was somewhat of a strict and overbearing woman who could cause a great deal of misery if she wanted to.

Once this woman, Helen, was satisfied she was not going to offend me, she almost yelled out in the store, “That Ethel could be a bitch!  Do you know your grandfather had to stop for a shot and a beer before he could go home and face her?”

After that there was no stopping her and she had certainly piqued my curiosity.  I, and the entire audience in the store, learned that one of my Uncles had fathered a number of illegitimate children both in Europe and here after the war, I apparently had numerous first cousins I was never aware of, my grandfather had a long term affair supposedly because of my grandmother, and my family history was filled with more than a few black sheep.

Now everyone, including the pharmacist, was waiting to hear what was coming next.

Helen became quiet and more introspective.  “You know,” she began, “Ethel (my mother’s mother) became very ill a few years after your mother died.”

I did remember she had a massive heart attack on the day my mother died and she was unable to attend the funeral.

“I think it was after you left for college, your father didn’t think he could care for her anymore so he was going to put her in a nursing home.”

This part I did not remember.  My grandmother was never in a nursing home.

“I remember that day,” Helen continued, “The day she was going in.  I helped your Dad get her into the car and saw them drive off.  Do you know what your father did?  He drove in through the gates of the nursing home.  He drove right past the entrance, continued around the circle, and came right back home.  He cared for Ethel for the rest of her life.”

Similar to many stories about my father, I had never heard this one before.

Growing up he would always tell us, “You are what you do, not what you say.”  He defined himself by that.  There was always a job to be done and he did it.

This is the beginning of a series of essays using the nine writing patterns of narrative , exemplification , compare/contrast , description , definition , process analysis , cause/effect , classification and division , and argumentation/persuasion .

Narrative, or narration , “wraps” the issue or thesis around a character or story.  “Acts of Kindness” is an example.  I could have written a well-researched essay about various and random acts of kindness; but which would have the desired emotional impact on an audience?  The truth is, I don’t know but I do know the audience is the final authority in terms of our work.

The writing pattern of description uses words to stimulate the senses and have the reader paint a mental picture of the scene.  Exemplification uses specific and detailed examples to clarify the thesis or argument.  Process analysis shows the audience how things work or how to do something.

To explain similarities and differences, we use the writing pattern of compare and contrast .  We spend most of our lives just trying to figure things out; and that’s when we use cause and effect analysis .  Definition gives new meaning to something misunderstood or previously unappreciated.  We use classification and division to group some things together and divide others into smaller categories.  And finally, we use argumentation and persuasion to find common ground with an opponent.

This Effective Writing Podcast discusses the role of Audience and Purpose in writing.

For the writer, these are the tools in our toolkit. For the reader, again the final authority, we can better serve them.  I ask my students at the beginning of each term to give us their definition of “ Effective Communication .”  They say things such as, “To better express myself,” “two people talking,” or “arguing back-and-forth.”

The real definition of Effective Communication is simply the art of being understood .

It’s not the audience’s job to figure out what we’re trying to “say.”  It’s our job to be understood.  And when we write an essay or story such as “Acts of Kindness,” it is not our job to show reality.  For most of us, the reality of our daily lives can be somewhat unpleasant.  No, it’s the writer’s job to show an interpretation of reality.  Let’s show the world what it can be like .

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Random Acts of Kindness

How it works

As a team, we were asked to write a paper on altruism. Or to be more specific, a random act of kindness. The story chosen to write about is a story about a six year old boy by the name of “Dylan” who thought to bring an extra lunch for another boy who was thought to not have lunch money to buy his own. In this paper, the definition of altruism will be examined as well as act itself being explored.

Psychological Altruism refers to the behavior that benefits others with no regard to the giver.  This undertaken is given for sole motive of benefiting others.  Altruistic behavior is a constant choice a person makes every day.  Such as, giving money to someone that is begging for money, looks homeless, or hungry on the street, or by simply helping an elderly or handicapped person cross the street.  Putting another before putting yourself first and acting in an unselfishly.  “Every man must decide whether he will walk in the light of creative altruism or in the darkness of destructive selfishness (King Jr., M.L. (2014)”.

The article in which the team has chosen was about a boy, Dylan, who asked his mother to pack another school lunch along with his own.  The reason for bringing the two lunches to school was because another boy only eats fruit cup for lunch, which made Dylan think he does not  have any lunch money.

When taking a closer look at the article, it is very clear that Dylan is exhibiting social responsibility. Social responsibility suggests it is an ethical framework that an entity, be it an organization or individual, has an obligation to act for the benefit of society at large.  Social responsibility is something that every individual person must perform in order to maintain a balance between the economy and the ecosystems. The responsibility of balancing the two can be passive, by avoiding engaging in socially harmful acts, or active, by performing activities that directly advance social goals. Social responsibilities are intergenerational since the actions of one generation have consequences on those following. Thus, showing Dylan did not do the deed for something in exchange nor was he looking for something for his actions.

Altruism is a powerful form of coping; like a coping mechanism, altruism helps you deal with issues in a way that projects your problems on to others. In a way, you persuade others that your problems are their problems and you want to make them happy which in turn, makes you happy. This is exactly what Dylan did. Dylan persuaded his mother to pack him n extra lunch; in effect he wanted the extra lunch for a child in school who could not afford it. By persuading his mom to pack two lunches, he felt a sense of joy because he was able to bring happiness to someone else. In the fact that Dylan could not persuade his mom to make two lunches, he would have experienced guilt, consequently, his mom would have felt guilt once she found out why Dylan wanted two lunches.

Random acts of kindness are a thing that are not seen too much anymore. Altruism is the selfless concern for the well-being of others. In the article chosen, a little boy asked his mother to pack him two lunches every day for school. When his mother asked why he needed them, he shared that the other was for another little boy. This little boy only had a fruit cup for lunch every day. Acts like this are beautiful and heartwarming. The fact that it came from a child just makes it that much better. I think we need a little more kindness in the world. “Personality develops because of cultural and community influences, especially through language, which is both a social product of the community as well as a means of encouraging particular social thought in the individual (McLeod, S. 1971)”.

References:

  • King Jr., M. L. (2014). Walk in the light of altruism. Retrieved from https://www.huffington post.com
  • Perceptions and definitions of social responsibility http://inni.pacinst.org/inni/corporate_social_responsibility/standards_defi p.1
  • McLeod, S. (1971). Journal of applied social psychology, European Journal of Social Psychology, Retrieved from https://simply psychology
  • Website: http:www.cbsnews.com/pictures/stories-fro-2016-that-will-restore-your-faith-in-humanity/6/

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Random Acts of Kindness Essay

Essay by BayleeS21   •  November 12, 2015  •  Essay  •  2,496 Words (10 Pages)  •  16,651 Views

Essay Preview: Random Acts of Kindness Essay

Random Acts of Kindness

Baylee Sutton

Tennessee Wesleyan College

Dr. Dick Pelley

October 26, 2015

            According the online psychology dictionary, kindness is a benevolent and helpful action intentionally directed towards another person, it is motivated by the desire to help another and not to gain explicit reward or to avoid explicit punishment.  (Psychology Dictionary)  If everyone performed a random act of kindness every day, the world would be a much better place that it is now. It is very important to give others kindness and worry about the ones in need rather than just yourself. Being polite to the people around you can really make the atmosphere around more positive. Kindness is like a boomerang, it always returns. I was once told, “It takes more muscles to frown than to smile.” Positive psychology is the scientific approach to studying, understanding, and promoting healthy and positive psychological functioning. It can relate to kindness. (Feist, G. J. and Rosenberg, E. L. 2010) I thought about the several acts of kindness that I have encountered, and how they relate to psychology.

          Random acts of kindness can go a long way in helping people out. Something as little as helping an elderly lady unload her groceries can brighten up someone’s day. An important reason to be kind to others is because it is contagious. I know if I see someone being nice to someone else, it motivates me to be like that and help someone out in any way I can. I believe that more people should do random acts of kindness more often. People are not as kind as they used to be, which in my opinion, we need to be nice and think of others more now than ever. If everyone were to perform at least a couple acts of kindness a week, the world would be a much better place. Random acts of kindness can be anything from giving a stranger a compliment to walling your neighbor’s dog. People that are kind to others tend to be happier and live much fuller lives. Here are a few little things I have done in the last semester.

       The most important act of kindness I done this semester is I paid for a veteran’s food. I was at Bojangles getting breakfast before school and I noticed this man wearing an army uniform. Instantly I gave the cashier another twenty and told her to pay for the guy behind me and I told her to keep the change for herself. Hopefully by doing this it will let other people know it is okay to actually be nice to others first. I have so much respect for veterans and I feel like everyone should do a pay it forward for them. They are risking their lives for ours every day.

       Volunteering can be an exciting, growing, enjoyable experience. It is truly gratifying to serve a cause, practice one's ideals, work with people, solve problems, and then see benefits. I have volunteered in many hours, but one experience that I enjoyed and thought about the most was volunteering at an animal shelter back home in Crandall, Georgia. I love animals and it was exciting knowing that I could help them find a home. When I arrived there, I got a tour around the shelter. All I could see was happy or sad animals, but the shelter was extremely clean. There were three volunteer workers at the shelter. I would let the dogs out according to size and age, and while they were outside, I would clean out the pens and put clean shavings, food, and water in each pen. I also walked and played with the dogs that needed attention. When they are walking around and not in their cages, you can see the joy in their faces. Seeing them happy made my heart warm. This was an act of kindness because no matter what, humans or animals, you should always treat them with respect.

     I have lost numerous valuable objects and I have been very lucky to have some of them returned to me by someone who found them. I consider that as an act of kindness because the person could have easily keep it and not give it back to me. One time, I lost my wallet during a softball tournament in Crossville. I was petrified and I thought I was never going to find it. I had a debit card and about hundred dollars in it. Thankfully, I had my number in the wallet. Someone called me when they found it and gave it to me just like I had it. I was so thankful.  

     Over the summer the same thing happened again but vice versa. I was babysitting and I took the kids to the park. While I was pushing one of them on a swing, I noticed something under the shavings. I kicked the shavings off and noticed it was a wallet. I looked inside of it and it was full with credit cards and cash. I knew someone had to flipping out over losing this. After looking in it, I realized it did not have a number in it but it had an insurance card in it. Immediately, I thought about taking it to the police station. When I arrived there, I explained everything and then they looked up the name from the insurance card. After they found who it was, they let me follow them to the house to return it. When I returned the wallet to the owner, I instantly felt like a better person. The owner tried to pay me for returning it, but I did not take the money from them.

        Another random act of kindness that I have done is I have helped elderly people with their bags at grocery stores and retail stores many times. Every time I see an elderly person loading their car, I go over to them and help. I hate when someone walks right by and does not ask them if they need help. Many elderly people say that our generation is just horrible and I agree with them. It is not hard at all to ask someone if they need help, especially elderly people. I have a huge heart for older people. They have been through rough times and I believe they deserve some of the most respect behind veterans.

     During middle school, I would help with the special needs children. This was an amazing experience for me and I would love to go back and do it again. Every morning I would go to my homeroom, check in, then go to the special needs classroom. I would help them with activities they did and I would also help them clean up and go to the restroom when they needed to. The children absolutely loved me. I honestly believe that I had a lasting impact on their lives. I think that they deserve just as much respect, if not more, as we do. These kids are human as well.      

     Back home I would always help my grandma out around the house. She would always try and pay me for it, but I would never take the money. I would clean her house, mow her yard, fix her hair, etc. I would do anything she needed me to do. I feel like I am paying her back for taking me in when I was younger. She knew she did not have the money to take care of me like I needed it, but somehow she made it work until my adopted parents were able to take me in. I still go to her house every weekend to help her clean and cook for my parents, uncle and us. Last summer, she fell and broke her hip. She was not even close to having enough money for surgery, so I thought of an idea to help her pay for it. I put together a fundraiser online to earn money for her surgery. I would speak at school and in church about what all was happening and why I was doing the fundraiser. After a few weeks of having it up online, I made more than enough money for her surgery. I even got to buy her some new things for around the house. I will always be there for my grandma whenever and wherever she needs the help.

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  5. 26 Random Acts of Kindness

    essay on my random acts of kindness

  6. Random Acts of Kindness Day

    essay on my random acts of kindness

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  1. RANDOM ACTS OF KINDNESS🥹 #kindness

  2. The Power of Kindness: How Helping Strangers Can Transform You

  3. Random Acts of Kindness That Will Make You Cry !

  4. What's a random act of kindness that restored your faith in humanity?

  5. Random Acts of Kindness That Will Make You Cry 🥺

  6. Random Acts of Kindness That Will Make You Cry !

COMMENTS

  1. Random Act Of Kindness: [Essay Example], 527 words

    Random Act of Kindness. Random acts of kindness have long been celebrated and encouraged as a way to promote empathy, compassion, and a sense of community. These small acts, often performed without expectation of reward or recognition, have the power to uplift not only the recipient but also the giver. In this essay, we will explore the concept ...

  2. Essay On Kindness in English for Students

    500 Words Essay On Kindness. The world we live in today has been through a lot of things from world wars to epidemics, but one thing which remained constant throughout was resilience and kindness. Moreover, it was the spirit to fight back and help out each other. Kindness must be an essential and universal quality to make the world a better place.

  3. Acts of Kindness: Importance of Being Kind

    These acts of kindness are not only about being polite, but also encompass supporting others, aiding in boosting their self-confidence, being present during times of need, offering emotional support, and providing encouragement and motivation. When one consistently engages in acts of kindness, it becomes effortless to utter positive words and ...

  4. Essay on Random Act Of Kindness

    A random act of kindness is a selfless act done by a person to either help or cheer up a random stranger, for no reason other than to make people happier. It could be small, like giving up your seat on a bus to someone else, or big, like helping someone with their groceries. The idea is to be kind without expecting anything in return.

  5. Random Acts of Kindness: How They Benefit the Human Kind and How

    Using an experiment conducted by a professor at North Carolina State University on positive deviance using students in her sociology class, this essay will map out the reactions of people receiving random acts of kindness, as well as ways in which these acts came full circle and made the students feel accomplished in their deeds.

  6. Random Acts of Kindness: List of 99+ Ideas & Examples

    Ideas for random acts of kindness for kids. Sharing crayons or other supplies with other kids. Giving someone a gift like a sticker, flower, or colorful eraser. Saying thanks to a fellow student for help with schoolwork. Bringing your teacher an apple as a gift. Getting a bandaid for another kid when they get a cut.

  7. A Random Act of Kindness: Experiencing the Goodness of Humanity

    One such act that left a lasting impression on me was a random act of kindness I experienced a few years ago. In this short essay, I will recount this heartwarming incident and reflect on the profound impact it had on both the giver and the receiver.

  8. 51 Kindness Essay Topics & Examples

    The topic of kindness is one of the key in the Bible. It has become especially important nowadays, in the era of intolerance and instability. In your kindness essay, you might want to focus on the importance of helping others. Another option is to consider the concept of kindness in philosophy, psychology, and religion.

  9. Kindness Essays: Samples & Topics

    What Does Kindness Mean to Me: a Reflection. 2. The Importance of Being Kind to Others. 3. An Act of Kindness: The Ripple Effect of Compassion. 4. A Random Act of Kindness: Experiencing the Goodness of Humanity. 5. The Three Core Values of Aging: Dignity, Kindness, and Security. 6. Where Do You See Yourself in 5 Years: Where Is Happiness of ...

  10. The Unexpected Power of Random Acts of Kindness

    992. By Catherine Pearson. Sept. 2, 2022. Leer en español. In late August, Erin Alexander, 57, sat in the parking lot of a Target store in Fairfield, Calif., and wept. Her sister-in-law had ...

  11. Stories of Random Acts of Kindness Foundation Essay

    The Random Acts of Kindness Foundation allows people to share their good stories and motivate people to do them. The main goal of the movement is to make good and friendly relationships the norm in places like work, home or school (About us, n.d.). Representatives of the website claim that their content is aimed at making people understand how ...

  12. Act of Kindness Essay

    The truth is that a simple act of kindness can give us many rewards socially and mentally due to the positive impact on us as well as the people that surround us. Subsequently, we become happier because of our acts. In addition, kindness can inspire other people to do the same for others which will later return to us as a form of self ...

  13. How to Practice Random Acts of Kindness

    To get you a sense of what we're talking about, here are a few examples: Giving compliments. Giving gifts. Saying kind words. Showing gratitude. Doing an act of service for someone else. Being ...

  14. Can Random Acts of Kindness Increase Wellbeing? (+ 22 Ideas)

    Oxytocin is commonly called the "love hormone" and this helps to lower blood pressure, improve overall heart health, increase self-esteem and optimism. Kindness can increase the feeling of strength and energy due to helping others. Kindness can also make one feel calmer. Less depressed.

  15. The Random Acts of Kindness: Key Issues

    Random Acts of Kindness is an idea that aims at the restoration of old traditions and human factors that were in demand in former times. However, it is not enough to expect kindness from someone, but it is better to become the authors of kind thoughts and actions. It is always easy for people to wait for something good from others, neglecting ...

  16. The heart and science of kindness

    Now that's kindness! We become kinder with practice. So, practice. Aesop, the ancient Greek storyteller, once said, "No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted." If random acts of kindness don't come easily to you, try this challenge: do one small, kind thing each day for someone. Then pay attention to the impact on you.

  17. Acts of Kindness Essay

    Professor Lutsky PSYC 103- 15t h April 2019 Random Acts of Kindness Amelia Mary Earhart, an American aviation pioneer and author once wrote, "A single act of kindness throws out roots in all directions, and the roots spring up and make new trees. The greatest work that kindness does to others is that it makes them kind themselves".

  18. Acts of Kindness: Narrative Writing

    Acts of Kindness David Werner December 1, 2013 Floyd, Lloyd, Elwood, Woodrow, and David are not historical figures, except in their native Ithaca, N.Y.; but David was my father the others my Uncles - all part of the generation who saved the world in WWII. They were all just kids, some underage, when they volunteered….

  19. Random Acts of Kindness

    Random Acts of Kindness. As a team, we were asked to write a paper on altruism. Or to be more specific, a random act of kindness. The story chosen to write about is a story about a six year old boy by the name of "Dylan" who thought to bring an extra lunch for another boy who was thought to not have lunch money to buy his own.

  20. Act Of Kindness Essay

    In this story, we see an example of a random act of kindness. I have become increasingly interested in random acts of kindness and I&#039;ve done a lot of research, and learned about how they can impact our lives in positive ways. Random acts of kindness can brighten someone&#039;s day, save a life and even change the world.

  21. Random Acts of Kindness

    Whether spontaneous or planned, acts of kindness can be contagious and set off chain reactions of more people being kind to one another. We hope these essays on kindness might spark small random acts of kindness from you. The Kindnesses We Give Each Other. The Connection Between Strangers. A Conduit of the Divine. Good Can Be as Communicable as ...

  22. Random Acts of Kindness Essay

    Read this Psychology Essay and over 74,000 other research documents. Random Acts of Kindness Essay. RANDOM ACTS OF KINDNESS Random Acts of Kindness Baylee Sutton Tennessee Wesleyan College Dr. Dick Pelley October 26, 2015 According the online psychology dictionary, kindness is a benevolent and helpful action intentionally directed towards another person, it is motivated by the desire to help ...

  23. Random Act Of Kindness Essay

    Random Act Of Kindness Essay. In a world so full of darkness and despair finding one random act of kindness to perform should not be that difficult of a task. Out of all the choices available I wanted my act to have meaning, to have substance, to possibly change somebody's life. If only for that day. That is what Jesus does.

  24. 20 Random Acts of Kindness for Kids

    H elp your children learn to be kind to others with these random acts of kindness for kids.Use our free printable as a check list to help your kids complete each task.

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