Sometimes it's the smallest act that has the biggest impact.

Random Acts of Kindness Week - 14 - 20 February 2021

Sometimes it’s the smallest act that makes the biggest impact. Something as simple as saying please or thank you can turn a day around and make a life seem that much better. Random Acts of Kindness Week encourages you to get out there and be the light you want to see in the world.

"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

Besides brightening someone else’s day and making the world a better place, there are plenty of beneficial side effects. Indeed, research has shown that the very act of doing something for someone else gives us a chemical high and a boost to mental wellbeing. Giving is in fact one of the key Five Steps to a Healthy Mind.

Random Acts of Kindness during the coronavirus outbreak.

The coronavirus outbreak has shown us how important it is to be kind to others (and ourselves) whether that's looking out for neighbours and friends who might be isolating, lending an ear to someone who's struggling emotionally or picking up the phone and checking on friends who we can't meet at the moment.

Although we're told to stay at home and stay 2 metres apart from others it's still possible to make small gestures of kindness that will make a huge difference. The Mental Health Foundation has some useful tips on making random acts of kindness including:

Send a motivational text to a friend who's struggling

Arrange to watch a film at the same time as a friend and video call

Reach out to call a friend, family member or neighbour who is experiencing loneliness or isolation

Call a friend that you haven’t spoken to for a while

Tell a family member how much you love and appreciate them

Make a cup of tea for someone you live with

Donate to foodbanks

Offer support to vulnerable neighbours

Offer to send someone a takeaway or a meal

There are lots of other ways to get involved and you can read more at Random Acts of Kindness.org and the Mental Health Foundation

#kindnessmatters