To the world you may be one person but to one person you may be the world. #BigIdeas
Regardless of your religious preference or beliefs – Kindness is one of the greatest gifts anyone can bestow upon another. If someone is in need, lend them a helping hand. Do not wait for a thank you, do it because it’s the right thing to do. Don’t wait for a thank you. True kindness lies within the act of giving without the expectation of something in return.
Just as it’s important to receive, it’s also important to give back. It shows gratitude, when you’re grateful for what you have and show it by helping others, you will begin to attract positive things into your life.
Here is a list I compiled of 20 simple ways you can give back this holiday season:
- Give money you can spare to someone or somewhere who needs it.
- Let someone tell a story without feeling the need to one-up them or tell your own.
- Let someone vent, even if you can’t offer a solution, just to be an ear—without considering how well they listened to you last week.
- Help someone who is struggling with difficult feelings by admitting you’ve felt the same thing—without considering whether they’d be as open with you.
- Ask, “What can I do to help you today?” Then let it go after following through.
- Tell someone how you feel about them, even if it makes you feel vulnerable, just to let them know they’re loved and not alone.
- Apologize when you’ve acted selfishly, even if you don’t like feeling wrong, because it will remind the other person they deserve to be treated with respect.
- Let someone else educate you, even if you’re tempted to stay closed minded, because you value their knowledge and appreciate their willingness to share it.
- Forgive someone who wronged you because you have compassion for them, not because you know they’ll owe you.
- Hold someone’s hand when they feel vulnerable to let them know you haven’t judged them.
- Give your full attention to the person in front of you when you’re tempted to let your thoughts wander just to show them their words are valuable.
- Assume the best when you’re tempted to suspect someone for no valid reason—even if they haven’t always given you the benefit of the doubt.
- Accompany someone to an appointment or drive them to an interview when they need support just to help them feel strong.
- Change your plans for someone you love if yours weren’t too important without questioning whether they’d do the same for you.
- Teach someone how to do something without taking a superior position because they’ve likely taught you many things, whether they were obvious or not.
- Leave a thoughtful comment on someone’s blog, not to build your readership but rather to show them how they affected you.
- Tell someone you believe in their potential, even if they haven’t always shown you the same support.
- Donate your time to another, because sometimes being kind means standing for someone who can’t stand for themselves.
- Tell someone you know they meant well instead of using their mistake as an opportunity to manipulate their guilt.
- Smile to another person, because sometimes the simple act of spreading joy while acknowledging another can make the world of difference.
Final thoughts:
I want to personally take this opportunity to thank you – the 40,000 individuals who have followed me this year and take the time read my articles each and every week. Wishing you and yours a Happy and Healthy Holidays wherever you may be.
How do you plan to give back this holiday season? The floor is yours.
With leadership,
Joshua
*****
Not-your-typical Personal and Executive Master Certified Coach.
Joshua Miller is a creative and impactful leader. His career experience has spanned both the advertising world and the world of leadership and organizational development. In advertising, he was responsible in delivering campaign strategies for Fortune 100 companies. Now he innovates and delivers results when supporting executive talent development and change management for the same clients.
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