You don’t need me to tell you there’s a lot going on in the world right now. If you watch the news or catch the headlines, you’ll find a lot of negative energy all around. 

A global pandemic. Civil unrest. Social injustice. A political divide. Wildfires. Hurricanes.

WOW. Looking back at this list, it’s hard to believe these things are all happening. And they’re all happening right now in the world.

We believe the world needs more positive energy and more smiles, and we think you can be the spark to make it happen. 

Kindness counts everyday, but kindness is especially needed now. While it may seem daunting, it’s not that hard to be kind, and help out others. There are so many simple, random acts of kindness  you can do that will make a lasting impact. We believe these small acts can make a big difference, and really brighten someone’s day. And perhaps one of the best things about choosing kindness is that is often triggers more kindness. 

This week, we encourage you to give it a try!  Here’s a short list to get you started. 

  1. Have your children draw a picture for a neighbor. 
  2. Offer to run errands for a elderly family member, friend or neighbor. 
  3. Send snail mail to a loved one. 
  4. Deliver a cup of warm coffee to a tired mom. 
  5. Offer to watch your nieces and nephews or grandchildren to give their parents a few kid-free hours. 
  6. Rake leaves, pull weeds or cut grass for a neighbor. 
  7. Leave a plate of Ashley’s famous Smiley Face Sugar cookies on a friend’s front porch.
  8. Leave a love note in your child’s lunch box. 
  9. Pay it forward and buy a cup of coffee for the person behind you in line at the drive thru.
  10. Volunteer to help at your church.
  11. Donate a bag of food to the local food pantry. 
  12. Drop off old blankets and towels at a local animal shelter. 
  13. Offer to walk a neighbor’s dog. 
  14. Surprise your family “just because” with a delicious cake from Ashley’s for a weeknight dinner.
  15. Call a friend on the phone that you haven’t talked to in awhile.
  16. Make dinner for your parents. 
  17. Schedule special one-on-one time with your children.
  18. Send a note of encouragement to your child’s teacher or coach. 
  19. Drop off an assorted box of Ashley’s donuts for first responders. 
  20. Send flowers to an individual that could use a smile. 

We can’t control what’s going on in the world, but we can control our reaction and how we respond to things. This is a great time to model patience, resolve, resiliency and kindness to our families and friends. This is a time to give grace to ourselves and to others. This is a time to remember we’re all in this together…and we can do this.