Kindness matters and Karma is real. I have been thinking about kindness recently; kindness to our fellow men and women, kindness to animals and kindness to our planet.  We are all dashing around, have busy lives and have become very insular and self centred.  It doesn’t take a couple of minutes to be kind, and the ripples of one small act can be hugely far reaching.

I think we could all try a little bit harder to make a difference every day. What do we have to lose, a couple of minutes of our time?  I have decided that I need to show more kindness and have compiled a list of kind acts which we could all try. I’m going to try and do at least one a day.

1. Give a compliment.

2. Ask someone if they are OK (and be interested in their answer).

3. Visit an elderly neighbour and ask if you can do anything for them.

4. Take some clothes to your local charity shop.

5. Adopt a homeless animal or, if not posssible, donate some money to Blue Cross  or other animal rehoming charity.

6. Recycle something you would not usually.

7. Buy someone an unexpected present.

8. Smile at a stranger.

9. Tell someone working in a shop/restaurant that they are doing a really good job.

10. Buy a sandwich and give it to a homeless person.

11. Resolve to do some volunteering at a Homeless Charity

12. Drive kindly. Let others out into traffic and slow down.

13. Send a letter.

14. Help someone who is moving house.

15. Offer a lift to someone.

16. Tell someone you love them.

17. Buy your pet a special treat.

18. Offer to help someone complete a CV and/or find a job.

19. Text someone you haven’t heard from in a while and say hello.

20. Buy some extra food during your weekly shop and donate it to a food bank.

21. Apologise in person when you are wrong.

22. Offer to babysit for new parents.

23. Sign up to a monthly charitable donation.

24. Walk / run/ cycle to work instead of using the car. If you are using the car, car-share.

25. Offer to carry someone’s bags/shopping if they are struggling.

26. In the supermarket queue let someone go in front of you.

27. Read a new blog and post a positive comment.

28. Tip generously.

29. Learn the names of neighbours and say hello to them using their names.

30. Pick up some litter.

31. Offer to help someone buy /order something if they don’t have access to the internet.

32. Offer to take in a postal package for someone.

33. Buy someone flowers.

34. When talking to anyone, resolve to put your phone away.

35, Buy some dog or cat food and take it to an animal shelter.

36. Report to management your compliments on someone who is doing a good job at work.

37.  Offer to walk a dog or cat sit.

38. Stop if you see someone broken down/ with car trouble and offer help.

39. Educate yourself on environmental issues and do what you can, however small.

40. Hold a door open.

41. Help a hedgehog get out of the road.

42. Give up your seat on a train/bus to someone less able to stand.

43. Buy the Big Issue.

44. Stand up for someone who is being bullied.

47. Give what you can afford to a homeless person.

48. Run a 5k for charity.

49. When you have finished a good book, give it away.

50. Feed the animals in your garden, hedgehogs, squirrels and birds all need a bit more help in the winter.

“Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around” – Leo Buscaglia