As colder temperatures continue, thortful has put together 100 random acts of kindness to try this winter and beyond. Because it’s never been more important to #bekind.
Lower temperatures have hit the UK, with fewer hours of sunlight impacting people experiencing Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). Searches for “living with Seasonal Affective Disorder” have increased by 130% since last year, so it’s never been more important to be as kind as possible to friends, family and complete strangers. And with new research finding almost a third of Brits feel accomplished when they give one, and 26% claiming it restores their faith in humanity when they receive one, it’s time for you to do more to spread some much-needed cheer. How to do your bit? The following 100 ideas are sure to help.
Everyday kindness
- Smile at a stranger
- Hold the door open for someone
- Pay it forward at your favourite coffee shop
- Cut your neighbour’s grass
- Offer to help carry someone’s heavy shopping
- Check in on a sibling
- Offer to walk your friend’s dog
- Return someone’s trolley at the supermarket
- Send a kind text to a long-distance friend
- Leave a positive Post-it note in a public place
Home kindness
- Cook dinner for your partner or family
- Do some chores (without being reminded)
- FaceTime family or friends
- Make your loved one a cup of tea
- Plan a surprise movie night
- Water your housemate’s plants
- Give someone a hug
- Ask a family member how they are
- Do the weekly food shop
- Bring home a surprise dessert
Work kindness
- Make your co-worker a coffee
- Bring in treats for your team
- Leave a kind message on someone’s desk
- Offer to help someone meet a tight deadline
- Teach a colleague a skill or a process
- Ask a new starter to sit with you at lunch
- Hold the door open for a co-worker
- Give a genuine compliment
- Check your team are happy
- Thank your boss or mentor for their support
Community kindness
- Volunteer your time at a local food bank
- Donate a bag of clothes you no longer wear
- Leave a kind review for a local shop or café
- Leave a tip after your meal
- Buy someone homeless a hot meal
- Take some of your older books to a little library
- Ask a customer service worker how their day is going
- Help someone in need cross a busy road
- Let someone merge in front of you in traffic
- Give directions to someone who’s lost
Online kindness
- Leave an uplifting comment on someone’s post
- Send a kind DM to someone who inspires you
- Share a small creator’s post
- Recommend a friend’s business publicly
- Post something uplifting
- Share a funny video with a friend
- Reach out and reconnect
- Donate to an online fundraiser
- Post something genuine to inspire others
- Give a shout out to your best friend
Personal kindness
- Take a break if you’re feeling burnt out
- Grab your favourite treat on your way home
- Spend some time in nature
- Compliment yourself
- Learn it’s fine to say no when you need to
- Do something creative
- Buy yourself flowers
- Have a bubble bath
- Get an early night (no doomscrolling allowed)
- Do your laundry before it turns into a mountain
Nature kindness
- Plant a tree
- Refill your bird feeder
- Leave water outside for wildlife on a hot day
- Donate old blankets to an animal shelter
- Plant herbs in pots and give them to friends
- Leave out squirrel-safe snacks
- Buy your friend’s dog a birthday present
- Remember your reusable shopping bags
- Join a community clean-up
- Give your pet an extra-long cuddle
Surprise kindness
- Hide a £5 note with a kind message
- Send flowers to your best friend out of the blue
- Bake a cake for your neighbour
- Lend a friend your favourite book
- Pay for the person behind you at the drive-thru
- Leave a thank you note for your postie or delivery driver
- Hide positive affirmations in random library books
- Donate a box of toys to a local charity shop
- Sneak a bar of chocolate into your partner’s pocket for a pick-me-up
- Send a random uplifting voice note
Friendship kindness
- Give your mate a lift, and let them control the playlist
- Help a friend move house
- Drop a coffee off if someone’s had a rough day
- Be the first to say sorry after a silly argument
- Plan a surprise catch-up
- Remind someone that they’re smashing life
- Send a cute postcard from your trip
- Text an old inside joke to make them crack up
- Compliment them behind their back
- Hype up their selfie
Stranger kindness
- Compliment someone’s outfit
- Offer up your seat on a packed bus
- Share your umbrella on a rainy day
- Offer to take a photo for a tourist
- Hold the lift doors open for someone
- Help carry someone’s pram, suitcase, or bags up the stairs
- Hand in a lost item
- Let someone go ahead of you in a queue
- Leave spare change in a vending machine
- Smile and thank the bus driver
How do random acts of kindness affect our mood?
“Giving or receiving random acts of kindness has a powerful positive impact,” says clinical health psychologist Dr Ravi Gill. “Acts of kindness trigger the release of ‘feel-good’ neurochemicals like dopamine, serotonin, and oxytocin, which boost happiness, reduce stress, and strengthen social bonds. Performing kind acts also enhances a sense of purpose and self-worth, while receiving kindness fosters feelings of gratitude, safety, and connection. Overall, even small gestures can see an upward spiral of positive emotions for both giver and receiver. Over time, these small actions create a more positive outlook, enhance resilience, and contribute to a kinder, more supportive community.”
