I recently heard about someone in a Tim Horton’s drive-thru paying for the coffee of the driver behind them. I thought it was such a nice thing to do for a complete stranger. I also couldn’t help but think about how great it would be if more people did kind things for others without expectations of owing them back.

Couldn’t our society use a couple more acts of kindness? It all starts with one person, and that person could be you. Small acts of kindness can make a huge difference, even if it may seem like they aren’t. Something as simple as smiling at someone accompanied by a good morning greeting can really make someone’s day.

On a larger scale, volunteering for different charitable causes can contribute to a larger issue. Many organizations rely on volunteers to bring about social change. You will be helping others who really need it and doing it out of the goodness of your heart.

Paying it forward with kindness is a wonderful, selfless thing to do. It doesn’t have to require any money and doesn’t have to take a lot of time. There is no reward greater than doing nice things for others and making others happy. Although the reward isn’t in the form of money or recognition, the way you will feel about yourself after you pay it forward with kindness will be a reward in it itself. The key to paying it forward is that it comes from a genuine and sincere place within you. You should want to do kind things for others not because you think you will get something out of it, but for the betterment of the other person.

The last time somebody held the door open for you, you probably felt gratitude. Maybe you made sure to hold the door open for the person that was behind you. Even a small gesture of kindness can make you feel great and make the world seem like a better place. Often kindness works in a chain reaction effect. It can start with one person doing something kind for another person and then that person wanting do to something kind for another, and so on and so forth. It can be almost infectious, in a good way.

Doing kind things for others can also help strengthen the community. It allows you to connect with another person even if only for a short period of time. It brings people closer together and allows them to co-operate. People begin to act as a support system to one another and look out for each other’s best interests. So, today, why not try paying it forward and doing something kind for someone else? I guarantee that you will feel awesome after!