Distributed to #relationships
Simple Gestures That Make People Feel Special— And The Best Thing Is They’re Free
It doesn’t cost money to show someone you care.
Erin King is the author of How To Be Wise AF: A 30-day journalling adventure to your inner Guru.
Self-care is crucial for personal wellness but did you know that caring for those around you — yes, even strangers, can also be beneficial to you.
According to the Kindness Matters Guide from the Scotland, Wales, and Northern Irland Mental Health Foundation, being kind to others brings its own rewards. With benefits such as reduced loneliness, greater self-esteem, and a better perspective on life, kindness towards others might just be your ticket to greater happiness.
And what better way to do this than by making the people you encounter feel special.
Whether you’re doing it for your partner, best friend, or a stranger, making someone else feel special is always good.
Choosing to do something nice for someone is always the right thing to do. You don’t even need money to show others you care.
Being nice starts a chain reaction of good vibes that go out into the world like a beautiful game of telephone. The words might change, but the message stays clear. If you want to change your life and the world for the better, start by making one person feel special.
To help you walk the walk rather than just talking the talk, here are some ideas for things you can do to get the ball rolling.
Give someone your undivided attention
When you are talking to someone, look them in the eye, nod and respond, quote back to them the things they say, and they will feel like the most important person in the room. This is called active listening and is considered a soft skill when applied to business. In real life, it is a good way to show someone they matter.
Brushing up on your active listening skills can make those around you feel good and can also help you with your relationships.
Being nice starts a chain reaction of good vibes that go out into the world like a beautiful game of telephone. The words might change, but the message stays clear. If you want to change your life and the world for the better, start by making one person feel special.
Carry something for someone
When you carry something for someone, you literally take a burden from them. You are making their life easier.
My husband always carries anything heavy for me. It makes me feel supported and cherished every time. It shows me that he notices when I am overtaxed and cares enough to want to lighten my load.
I will carry something for someone else if I see them struggling, even if it is a stranger.
It boils down to common decency. We are all in this world together, we need to take care of each other.
Doing this for anyone gives an unconscious emotional boost that goes with the physical relief.
Cook something for someone
Cooking is the ultimate act of nurturing. When you cook for someone, you are giving them life.
It’s nice when a chef or a good cook makes food for everyone, but it is even more special when you cook for the person who usually does it.
I was a personal chef for 10 years, and that stint of professional cooking sucked the joy out of it for me. I hate cooking now even though I’m very good at it.
When my husband or daughter makes dinner, it doesn’t matter if it’s a steak or eggs on toast. It always feels like a gourmet feast because I didn't make it.
Let little things slide
It’s easy to call people on every little thing they do and say that bugs you. But how about not doing that?
Does your husband tell the same story over and over? Does your wife always ask you if she looks fat? How about just nodding and smiling or reassuring them instead of getting mad at them for saying it yet again.
Everybody has irritating habits and insecurities, how about letting them be themselves without having to call them out on it. Could you reassure them so they feel secure and happy instead of proving a point?
It’s easy to call people on every little thing they do and say that bugs you. But how about not doing that?
Do some housework
When someone has a baby or illness, they don’t need a box of chocolates or a plant.
A Walmart gift card would be nice, but if you want to give them a great gift that will cost you nothing, why not go to their house and clean it.
When someone’s going through a hard time, it’s the basic household chores that suffer. When you’re in crisis mode, you’re not thinking about your dirty sheets or the ring around the bathtub.
When I had open-heart surgery, my husband had enough on his plate without having to think about the bathroom and the baseboards. I would have loved it if someone had offered to come by and clean our bathroom or kitchen for him.
I was laid up unable to work for three months, so a cleaner was out of the question.
Illness or maternity leave usually creates a cash shortfall, so even if they could afford a cleaner before, chances are they can’t anymore.
This also goes for someone you know who is suffering from a mental illness.
When my sister was really struggling in her early thirties, I used to clean her apartment for her. It helped her feel better.
When you get depressed, you lose the motivation to do even the most basic chores.
When someone’s going through a hard time, it’s the basic household chores that suffer. When you’re in crisis mode, you’re not thinking about your dirty sheets or the ring around the bathtub.
Open a door and offer to let someone else go first
This is a sweet little gesture that is nice to do for strangers.
When you allow someone to walk ahead of you, it shows that you see and acknowledge them.
Being gracious to a stranger is the single best way to change the world.
If you’re kind to someone, it makes their day better, so there’s a chance that they’ll go and do something thoughtful for someone else and so on. You have no idea of how you will change someone’s attitude just by one random act of kindness.
Being gracious to a stranger is the single best way to change the world.
Small gestures are the glue that holds society together and allows us to reach out to one another with compassion and respect. You might treat someone with respect who has a bias against someone like you and cause them to change their perspective. Stranger things have happened.
You can make someone feel special with very little effort. It’s simple, easy, and starts a chain reaction of good vibes.
Thanks so much for reading!😊
Upgrade your free Medium membership to a paid one here and for just $5/month you’ll receive unlimited, ad-free, stories from thousands of writers on a wide variety of publications. This is an affiliate link and a portion of your membership will go directly towards supporting my endeavors. Many thanks!
✨Or start your own common sense revolution with How To Be Wise AF: A 30-day journalling adventure to your inner Guru.
Read one short chapter every day and answer the writing prompt designed to reframe your experiences in a positive, helpful light. Delve into your past, the good, the bad, and the ugly to revisit and rewrite old narratives.
You don’t have to be a professional writer to write your own self-help book with this engaging, inspiring guided journal. Find it on Amazon.
How To Be Wise AF is the perfect pick-me-up that lasts.
Thanks so much for reading, if you’d like to see more by me, please check these out:
