23 Random Acts Of Kindness…

A couple of months ago I came across this blog that excited me and hugely inspired me too! I couldn’t wait for my birthday!

The Birthday Project

The idea is to do random acts of kindness on your birthday, in the week of your birthday or in the month of your birthday… An act of kindness for each year you have lived.

I turned 23 on 3 August and celebrating my birthday this way was the best way I’ve celebrated in these 23 years! Doing random acts of kindness for strangers felt soo good! It really felt like I was celebrating life! (I had a shoe-string budget and didn’t think I’d be able to do much, I then read a quote somewhere that went along the lines of, “kindness doesn’t cost a thing”)

I did have a list of random acts to do before my birthday but I also left some room for chances to be kind to just pop up! (Like daisies)

So on my day I got ready and out and about I went!

23 Random Acts Of Kindness…!

1- Cards of gratitude and empowerment on teachers cars.
I went to the high school I schooled at and randomly put cards on teachers cars- The cards I got a while ago- from a not-for-profit organisation- the pictures on the front of the cards are mouth or feet painted by people who either have no hands or are unable to use them… I think the security guard thought I was crazy… lol

2- Picked up litter.
                All dressed up (add pink rubber gloves to the image above) and I was picking up litter just outside a house on the corner of a street. The people from cars that drove by looked at me strangely and I think I actually did make an impact on the children that saw me. (This act filled me with such joy… to do something so simple and to some extent affect the minds of people that saw me!)

3- I gave out oranges to people on the street.
When I went to the shop to buy the oranges, I met an aunt and uncle who were quite amazed with the idea… then I was walking in the streets dressed all crazy and now with a huge bag of oranges in hand! Lol… the looks of curiosity from people was just awesome to see! This act was quite something- oranges are so cheap, yet the smiles and gratitude for them was priceless!

4- I gave money to a little boy.
So I was having difficulty opening the bag of oranges, there was a small boy sitting on the pavement, I asked him to help me- he got it open for me…! I gave him the first orange and some money too! The look of amazement was beautiful!

5- Gratitude and empowerment notes to random people I met as I walked around my community.
                This was quite fun too! I gave out notes, people looked at me strangely- one guy asked if I was giving out invites and he wanted one too! I gave him one! =D There was this DJ playing some music, nice and loud, outside a store… I intended to give him a note too! As I approached, one of the workers of the store was outside dancing and trying to coax her friend/colleges to join in… Maybe they were shy, they were simply watching her. I joined her and randomly danced with her for a bit. The DJ took the note with huge smiles. (I danced randomly in the streets on my birthday! THE BEST EVER!)

6- Notes of empowerment in random books at the public library.
I wrote out a bunch of empowering notes and put them all over the public library in random books for people to find when they are reading… (I liked this one heaps because it felt like I left room for the universe to bring people who needed a bit of a boost to those books… Also, I would feel so awesome if I found a random note in a book!)

7- Gave extra money to the man behind the cash register at a shop.
I went to buy chocolate to give to random people as I walked around… I walked into a small shop, one that looked like it hardly ever got business, and I bought some chocolate. I let the man at the cash register keep the change. Look of amazement!

8- I gave chocolate to a random man in the street.
He was dressed in blue overalls and looked to be waiting for something… So I gave him chocolate!

9- I photocopied parts of a book for a friend.
I am currently reading a book (Not mine- borrowed) about numerology again… I talked to my friend about it and she was quite interested in it… So I photocopied the number explanations relevant to the numbers in her life and gave them to her.

10- Kind Conversation with an old man.
At the photocopying shop, I met an old man who was quite excited and proud of his grandchildren- he came to laminate a few of their pics… I had a long chat to him about his grand-kids… I think they made him feel younger. Was so good to randomly chat about something that brings joy. (I never do stuff like this. I usually keep to myself and speak when spoken to. Too often I’m so busy observing what is happening around me that I don’t think to chat with those around me. I’m pretty much in my head! Lol)

11- Donated books to the public library.
I’ve actually been holding on to quite a few of my books that I really love, but they lie in a dusty box in the store room. So donated them so people can actually read them. (They got taken to a township library)

12- I left notes of gratitude and empowerment on cars that were parked around wherever I walked.
I signed them, “God”. Now don’t get all religious on me and say that’s blasphemy and what what… I think I’d feel very special if I returned to my car to find a note that was good news, signed by God and (the best part) no way of knowing where the heck it came from. I think it would really increase my faith in the all powerful one… and maybe give me the push I needed.

13- Hand written letter to a very old friend.
When I was in primary school, my 2 friends and I would write letters to each other every week! And long long letters! We talked about everything via those letters- our troubles at home, the guys we liked, our friendship, school, the teachers, our career paths… Everything! And then we went to different high schools and as the years went by we lost touch. I wrote a letter to my friend after years! I mostly wanted to thank her for being there when we were younger and sharing everything with me. We talked about everything- but we never said thank you. (After I wrote this letter I was soo happy that I was saying thank you for some of the years that hugely shaped who I am today)

14- I typed up a resume for a friend.
She recently met up in an accident, broke her back and was getting real bored at home. I helped out with the resume so she could work from home. (something I think I would’ve done anyway when she asked…)

15- A birthday gift for our domestic help.
The following week was Christina’s birthday. I gave her a gift and chocolate. She was so happy. I don’t think she expected us to give her a gift. (It is a very special feeling when someone thinks of you on your birthday- and it is only with this birthday that I realized how much it does mean to me for people just to say, ‘Happy Birthday’.)

16- I sent magazine issues to a friend in Cape Town.
I posted some pictures on facebook of an old magazine issue I had. I unknowingly picked up 2 of the same issue in different weeks. A friend from Cape Town said he would be happy to have the extra copy. I sent it to him together with a bunch of other old issues of the same magazine.

17- Free massage for a friends mum.
A high school friend lost his dad and I wasn’t able to visit or be there for him and his family during the funeral week. I organized for his mum to get a free massage from a really WOW reflexologist that my mum goes to. I left a note in their postbox with the details. (This and No. 18 were the ones close close to my heart… Nothing can ease the pain of losing a loved one, though a massage can soothe the body and make it little easier to accept)

18- Free massage for a friends mum.
A really close friend also lost his dad. There is never anything you can do or give to ease the hurt of it, though I’m pretty sure kindness helps.

19- Hand written letter to my sister.
I have a sister who is 19 years older than me. For a large part of my childhood I looked up to her. She was the person I wanted to be. Strong. Independent. And kind-hearted. She shaped who I am. I wrote her a letter to express my gratitude… (I never ever wrote my sisters letters)

20- Hand written letter to my sister.
This sister is 6 years older than me and is the one I grew up with mostly. We fought a lot and then became the best of friends. She got married and our relationship changed… though I never expressed how grateful I am to have had her as my sister. (Until the letter of course) (The letters all feel like a kindness I am doing to myself… yet at the same time I know how good it feels to be really appreciated. And so often we don’t express the gratitude we feel for the people in our lives)

21- Letter to my Brother-in-law.
Yes, my brother-in-law. My eldest sister’s husband. (I didn’t write this one to my sister cos our relationship is such that we are constantly expressing our gratitude for each other- although when she reads this, I’m pretty sure she’ll ask me where is her letter! Lol! ;D) My bro-in-law has been like a true brother and many times like a dad to me- more so over the last couple of years. The gratitude I have for him in my heart I couldn’t even express in the letter.

22- I smiled, greeted and waved.
I randomly smiled at everyone who looked at me… I greeted those that were close enough to greet and I waved to heaps of people. (All of which is rare for me. I am happy happy most of the time, though I’m not one to randomly wave or greet or smile. And after this birthday and all the good feeling it brought to me, I really do more of each more often!)

23- Dream Come True.
This one is more of a dream come true. I went to a not-for-profit organization that tutors high school teens so that the results they receive from year 10 to year 12 can propel them into the admission for whatever they want to build their careers on. These teens come mostly from informal settlements, townships and poverty conditions. I spent the most part of a morning with them and also gave them an empowerment and motivational presentation. Basically driving home that they can be, do, have and create anything. This is one of my many dreams come true! Empowering youth on a large scale!

I look forward to getting older and celebrating many more birthdays in this way! Usually people receive on their birthdays. Giving in celebration of the life I have lived felt like the best gift to receive!

Live your Dreams… Not just your Life!

(All pics are my own)