2016 was a big year across the world, and in my own personal life, I hit a major life milestone…I turned 35. I’m not sure when 35 became one of those big numbers in life (maybe because we all of a sudden are deemed to be “advanced maternal age”), but it just seems like one of those more looming birthdays. For many reasons, I was dreading 35. Am I where I had imagined myself to be at 35? Am I viewed as old by the world despite still having a spring in my step and a song in my heart? And really…am I old?

As the days started to tick away, I was getting a little sad at the idea of having to check the 35+ box from that day on forever. On the eve of my birthday, I decided I wanted to do something to celebrate, but I wanted to find a way to do it with positivity and optimism. That’s when I thought about doing 35 acts of kindness to remember each year of my blessed life. We all need just a little more kindness, and I hope that I can take turn this into a personal call to action to spread a little more good will to everyone I can. I would love to do 365 acts of kindness as my New Year’s Resolution and hope that by the time 36 rolls aroun,d I will have a happier outlook for its arrival. Here are 35 of my ideas for spreading kindness, and I would love to hear more to add to my growing list.

  • Open/Hold the door for someone
  • Offer to help carry something for someone
  • Pay for someone else’s meal/item at the register
  • Write a letter to a veteran
  • Visit a senior’s home
  • Help walk dogs at the animal shelter
  • Send a friend a letter in the mail saying you are thinking of them
  • Leave a surprise in your mailbox for your mail carrier
  • Cook a meal and deliver it to a new mom
  • Compliment someone
  • Help a neighbor with a chore (raking leaves, shoveling, etc)
  • Beach clean up
  • Let someone in at a merge
  • Leave money at a vending machine for the next person
  • Invite someone over for dinner
  • Bake treats and bring them into the office
  • Offer to babysit a friend’s kid for a few hours so they can take a break

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  • Donate toys to a local shelter
  • Make a care package and deliver it to a local children’s hospital
  • Buy a magazine subscription for the library
  • Give up your seat in a crowded situation
  • Leave a few of your favorite books around town to share with others
  • Let someone in front of you in a line
  • Add money to parking meters about to expire
  • Pay for school supplies that a teacher needs
  • Send someone a list of reasons why you are thankful for them
  • Round up loose shopping carts and put them in the corral
  • Tip extra generously
  • Leave stickers at the Dr’s office
  • Buy blankets for a shelter
  • Give someone a coupon or gift card you won’t use
  • Donate to a charity in someone else’s name
  • Wait with someone
  • Tell someone who helps you how thankful you are and how helpful they were
  • I crochet so I want to make some stuffed animals and leave them around for kids to find