5 Simple and Creative Ways to be Generous

It’s near impossible to avoid at least some type of negative news circulating around us, whether it’s on TV, the radio, a social media news-feed, or even coworkers or colleagues chatting away. Negative actions generate negative emotions. That’s why a little bit of generosity can go a long way.

We become so accustomed to negativity that just a small dose of kindness can brighten a person’s day, can make us feel good for creating that happiness, and can build future positive connections with others! Even better, the best generous actions are the ones that are completely unexpected, so here are five creative ways to spread a little spontaneous joy around your area!

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1. Volunteer at an event or shelter

Especially if the event is new or on a tight budget, volunteers can be the bridge to a successful occasion. Plus, it’s a great way to make friends with people that share your interests! 

• If you live near the ocean, try searching for “Clean the Bay” days (this is popular in Virginia). If you live in a city, try looking up “Area Cleanup” days. You get to help the environment and get some exercise and fresh air!
• Do you like animals? Check out local shelters. Many places look for caring people to help their animals become more accustomed to human interactions.
• Do you have a special skill that you’d love to teach to others? Ask if your local library, YMCA, or any community building will let you host occasional free lessons. 

2. Share your appreciation

It’s super easy to point out flaws in others, but we forget that doing things correctly deserves recognition too, sometimes more often than usual. Just showing that you noticed someone’s hard work and dedication can go a long way in positive reinforcements.  

• Hand write a professor, classmate, coworker, or friend a “Thank You” note for explaining something you didn’t understand or for helping you with a tough situation. 
• Send compliments to the chef at a restaurant if you really enjoyed the food.  Let the waiter/waitress know if you truly enjoy their customer service.
• Is it a major holiday? Thank the employees for working that day! 

3. Donate things you no longer need

I admit that I am guilty of maintaining a cluttered mess in my closet, desk, car, etc. As much as I want to say that “I’ll wear it someday” or “I’ll read this book eventually”, I finally learned to just let some things go. To be honest, I barely remember what was given away now.  

• Does your town have a recreation center? You can donate books to their library section. 
• Do you have clothes that no longer fit? See if you have a nearby homeless shelter to give the clothes.
• Can you part with your old board games and video games/console? I’ll be honest… I don’t think I can give away my Nintendo 64, but I’m willing to do without the Nintendo Wii (I punched my hand against a wall too many times from playing the tennis game). Plus, I think I still have a training chess set that’s still in the plastic packaging. This would be a generous donation to places like the Boys & Girls Club. 

4. Let someone vent to you

Okay, first off…be completely honest with yourself when answering these two questions: 1) Are you a gossip-girl or a gossip-boy? 2) Are you a patient person? If you answered yes to #1 and/or no to #2, you might want to skip this tip (I’m just being real)! We all have issues that sometimes we just need to get off our chests but be careful with this one because the last thing we want is to make a situation worse. If you respond to the venting, think very carefully about your choice of words. 

• Do you have classmates that are struggling with their classes? Let them let it all out. Maybe you can offer resources to help them out. 
• Is a coworker stressing over a project? Ask if they need any assistance. Many times, just having a chance to voice an issue out loud to someone can help with discovering solutions faster than just jumbling around 100 thoughts in our heads. 
• This is possibly the strangest one on this list, but I have let strangers rant to me late at night in Walmart. Yes, Walmart! You’d be surprised at how many people just need to get away to clear their heads late at night and the safest spot be a department store! Many people might be too afraid to bring their issues to a close friend because they don’t want to worry them or will think that their friends will just tell them what they want to hear instead of the truth. A friendly stranger, however, will be more likely to share an honest opinion. There have been at least five occasions that I can remember where a stranger just dumped out their struggles because my Southern hospitality automatically asked, “Hi! How are you doing?” Each time was awkward because I’m “too nice” to just walk away from a person in obvious distress, but each time the individual seemed to have left in better spirits than before, so good deed with a side of groceries, I guess. 

5. Use your expertise to resolve issues

Some of my favorite people (without them even realizing it) are the ones who take the time to answer my questions online in a clear, respectful, and timely manner! These people have saved me hours of research and puddles of tears because they took the time to acknowledge an issue and provide their expertise to resolve it!

• Make a video tutorial. I learn the fastest by watching then doing. Video tutorials are my favorite gifts from people (next to gift cards) because they have saved me hours and possibly days from trying to figure out a problem on my own!
• Create a small e-book. Some people prefer reading advice and being able to print it out for later. Creating e-books is an inexpensive way to give your expert advice to others in a single downloadable format.
• Answer questions in online forums. Sometimes I cannot find a tutorial to answer a very specific issue I’m having. That’s when I desperately turn to help forums to answer my question. If you can clearly explain how to resolve someone’s issue in this area, you will be beloved by many who have been struggling to find a solution! 

Now let’s hear from you!

These are just a handful of ways to spread a little generosity around but remember to just be creative! Do you have a different way that you help your community or friends? Share it in the comments below! Do you have a friend that wants to discover ways to help others, share this blog with them! If you enjoy our content, please subscribe to the newsletter for more updates! 

And remember to live life one story at a time! 

Take care, 

Kyndall Bennett from Kyrabe Stories

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