I Need Ideas

Below are a few ideas to keep in mind as you look for opportunities to perform Positive Acts.  They’re sorted by categories.  We’ll continue to update this page as people send us their ideas.

Here are 2 great family ideas given to us by some Challengers:

1) When your family sits down for dinner, go around the table and have each person tell what their positive acts were for the day.

2) Ask your children to pay attention to the Positive Acts that others are doing, and tell you about those as well.

Do you have ideas to share with us?  We’d love to hear about them.  Please share them in the comments below.

Thanks!

All the ideas below don’t cost anything.

Here’s one that does – if you’re able to:

       Donate to a worthy cause

If you’re open to a suggestion, please click here to visit the site set up by my friend James – for his wife, Caren.  He needs help to fund her medical treatments.  I’ve know James for years, and everything mentioned in Caren’s story is true.  Even if you aren’t able to donate, please keep Caren and James in your prayers.  Thank you.

 

General:

Hug your children and tell them you love them

If you see someone in a military uniform, shake their hand & thank them for serving our country

Smile at someone who looks sad

If someone looks confused, ask if they need help

Call a friend you haven’t seen in a while

Call someone who is alone

Call someone who could use a kind word

Help an elderly person cross the street

Visit a nursing home or senior center:

• to help out
• to let residents tell you their stories
• to visit someone who doesn’t get any visitors
• to sing/dance/perform magic for them

Visit someone who is sick

Visit someone in the hospital

Put your phone away when you’re speaking with someone

Send a card to a friend you lost touch with

Send a card to someone who is hurting in some way

Ask someone how things are in their life…and listen.  Really listen.

Ask a neighbor if you can get anything for them while you’re grocery shopping

Check on an elderly neighbor during a storm

If you see a parent having trouble coordinating their children, ask if you can do something to help

Be nice to the person pumping the gas for you

At Mass, during sign of peace, look for someone who’s alone. Go out of your way to offer them the sign of peace.

Volunteer at Lunch Break

Volunteer at a soup kitchen

Donate some clothes/household items to an organization that will get them to less fortunate families

Hold the elevator door for one more person

Hug your children and tell them you Love them.  Yes – this is a repeat.  It’s an important one. 🙂

 

Children:

Say please

Say thank you

Be friendly to someone who doesn’t have many friends

Have lunch at school with someone who is not popular

Help someone with their books

Stick up for someone who is picked on or teased

Put your phone away when you’re talking to someone

Don’t repeat rumors you hear about other kids

Help cook dinner

Tell your parents how much you enjoyed a meal

Hug your parents and tell them you love them

Help set the table for dinner

Help clean up after dinner

Say a prayer for someone less fortunate than you

In gym class, pick someone for your team who usually gets picked last

Offer to tutor another student who is having trouble with something you understand well

Say thank you to your teacher after class. Chances are, they don’t hear it often enough.

Help with the laundry

Hold the door for someone

Say please and thank you 🙂

Hug your parents and tell them you Love them.  Yes, this is a repeat.  It’s an important one. 🙂

 

Prayers:

Say a prayer when you see someone who is:

Handicapped

Elderly

Blind

Using a walker

In a wheelchair

Homeless

Sick

Mourning the loss of a loved one

Unemployed

A soldier

Less fortunate than you

Missing a family member who is a deployed soldier

Caring for an elderly family member

 

Supermarket/Store:

Let someone else get the closer parking space

Let someone go ahead of you on line

Give someone the coupons you’re not using

Help someone who is not as tall as you – to reach something on a high shelf

Help the person behind you to pack their groceries

Help someone to carry their packages

When you check out, compliment the cashier on something. It’ll brighten their day, and it may start a chain reaction of kind acts.

Try counting your blessings by counting the people less fortunate than you. You may find a lot more than you think.

If you shop or eat out today, let the manager know how helpful an employee was. Chances are, they don’t hear it as often as they should.

Return the shopping cart to the rack – especially in bad weather.

 

Driving:

Let someone merge in front of you

Let someone else take the closer parking space

Don’t drive right behind a car that’s going slower than the speed limit

Don’t cut someone off, when you can get behind them instead

If you’re behind a car driven by a student driver, be patient.

If you notice you’re not parked between the lines – move your car, so that you are between the lines, and someone can still park in the space next to yours.

Don’t drink and drive

Don’t text and drive

Don’t look at your phone while you’re driving

 

Commuting:

Give up your seat to someone who could use it more than you

Give your seat to someone standing-even if they’re not pregnant or elderly. You’ll brighten their day.

Help someone get their bag onto or down from the overhead rack

If someone looks lost at the train/subway/bus, ask if they need help

If others are being grumpy or disrespectful to the conductor or bus driver…smile, and be nice.

Say ‘thank you’ to the driver or conductor as you leave.  Chances are, they don’t hear it often.

 

Eating out:

Be nice to the waiter/waitress

Let the manager know if you enjoy the food

Let the manager know if an employee makes your experience more enjoyable