Acts of Random Kindness (ARC). These four words can expand your social circle, uplift the downtrodden, and prove to be beneficial to self, at school, home or even as a “future” business owner. Whether you are a sole trader, sell stuff to friends on Facebook or like to try out at your school’s entrepreneurial day; there is always something you can do to spread the message of working together for the greater good.
In case you’re thinking what’s the big deal about tolerance, kindness and humanity, then you’d better buckle up for this one. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) declared “International Day for Tolerance” in 1995 to generate public awareness of the dangers of intolerance. It is observed annually on 16 November.
May this International Tolerance Day inspire us to embrace cultural diversity and diversity in general. May it instigate a lifestyle change and foster sustainable progress that outlasts special holidays. Whether or not you are technology inclined or old-school, here are 25 random, but precious acts that can advance you as an individual, rising entrepreneur and teen boss.
25 Acts of Random kindness
1. Give out “free hug” coupons
2. Smile at everyone you see
3. Say hello to peeps, including strangers
4. Leave behind your change in the vending machine
5. Collect toys for your favourite charity
6. Compliment the people checking out your entrepreneur day stall
7. Plant something and share the seeds, fruits or flowers with others
8. Write a thank you post or comment to everyone who makes a purchase from your Facebook store
9. Fill a kindness jar with thank you notes or sweets and give it to a kiddie shelter
10. Send birthday notes
11. Give something, anything to children in hospital and shelters for the elderly
12. Donate a portion of your sales or pocket money to the needy
13. Set a day apart where you and your friends or team of aspiring entrepreneurs go to visit the elderly
14. Approach local businesses around your school to ask for product samples that you can send to shelters or charities
15. Randomly stand at your school’s teacher parking area with a sign “free window wash”
16. Donate unused food items to the needy
17. Help out at a soup kitchen
18. Pay for a small packet of sweets or cool drink at the tuck-shop and ask them to give it to another student
19. Start an uplifting blog
20. Listen without asking
21. Have recycling bins
22. Organise teams to participate in community charity walks and cycling tours to help raise funds
23. Paint kids’ faces while parents scout your stall
24. Pray
25. Feel free to recommend products and services from other businesses
You are never helpless, and the world can do with more tolerance, compassion and kindness.
Kindness teaches us that we are part of something bigger than ourselves. It makes us look inwards to count our blessings and do our bit. It teaches us that we are enough and that even the smallest actions matter. May your one, or many Acts of Random Kindness ignite another and another, until our community, country, and planet is transformed. Until then, sow your act of kindness even more.