“Carry out a random act of kindness, with no expectation of reward, safe in the knowledge that one day someone might do the same for you.” – Princess Diana

Kindness is something we could all do with a little more of—not just receiving it, but also giving it. Being kind to others, not just to family and friends, but also to strangers, benefits us as the giver and the stranger as the receiver.

 
Think about it for a minute. Cast your mind back to a time when you might have done something kind for someone you didn’t know. Perhaps you let them go ahead of you in the grocery line because they had fewer items than you. Perhaps you picked up something they had unknowingly dropped and returned it to them, surprising them. In either of these instances, the stranger probably looked surprised, smiled at you, and said thank you.

Now, remember how that made you feel. Knowing you had done something kind for someone that they appreciated probably made you feel even better than you were already feeling. That act of kindness probably made the stranger feel better than they were already feeling, too. If they were already feeling good, your act may have served to cement that good feeling and helped it last the whole day. 

On the other hand, if they were feeling sad, depressed, lonely, angry, or stressed out, your act of kindness may have elevated their mood, given them reason to have hope, or turned their day around so that their negative feelings were lessened. Perhaps they, in turn, performed an act of kindness for someone else realizing how much better it made them feel about themselves. 

There are documented cases of people who were so lost within themselves that they feared they might bring harm to themselves or others, but stopped themselves because someone smiled at them. Smiling at someone is one of the simplest acts of kindness we can perform. It is also one of the most powerful.

Kindness itself is powerful. It can change the way someone feels about themselves, motivate them to be kind to others, and create a positive chain of events for the receiver as well as for the giver.

Here are a few ways to be kind to strangers that will make you feel good, too.

Be Polite
When we were taught as children to say please and thank you, be patient, wait our turn, and not be rude to others, we were being taught to be kind. Being polite shows people we value them and is an easy kindness to impart.

Give Aid
It’s not unusual to see someone struggling with packages, a stroller, or children while trying to open a door of a public building. Assisting that person by opening the door for them is an act of kindness that not only alleviates the difficult situation they are in but gives them faith in others knowing there are people out there who are willing to help.

Smile
The power of smiling at someone has already been mentioned in this article. Here are a few examples of when smiling is appropriate: a mother whose baby is crying, or whose child is misbehaving, can always use a smile of understanding; when someone smiles at you, smile back; if someone has inadvertently bumped into you and apologized, smile and thank them for their apology.

Donate and Volunteer 
Although we see many strangers when we are out and about, there are many more who are unseen and also in need of acts of kindness. Amazing organizations exist to try and help many of them. They, too, need our help. Be kind and donate, volunteer, and join them. 

Being kind to strangers, no matter the form it takes, can have a simple momentary effect or a transforming long-lasting effect. It can also create an atmosphere of paying it forward where the receiver wants to do the same for someone else. We tend to treat people the way they treat us. One act of kindness can trigger many acts of kindness. Be kind and see the difference it makes.