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Achoooo!!!

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Nope. Not going to apologize this time. Today, I’m sneezing random acts of kindness everywhere and I’m not going to apologize for it. In fact, I want you to catch it and then spread it with me. Why? Well, first – did you know that gratitude and generosity releases endorphins in the brain that produce positive feelings? And giving evokes gratitude. So these two great G’s feed off each other, creating a healthy dose of connection to others, pleasure, hope and positivity in our hearts and minds. In other words – the “helper’s high.”

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It’s also National Random Acts of Kindness Day!

What better day to sneeze kindness all over the place?! Here are 10 ideas to get your generosity gears going:

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1. Buy flowers for a stranger.

Make it a great bouquet too, not just one stem. Make it grand and glorious and soak in the glow on the face of the person you surprise and delight.

2. Write Encouraging Sticky Notes

Put up anonymous sticky notes of encouragement and compliments for your coworkers… Like make it a sea of stickies so they actually have to move a note to see their screen.

3. Write a note to someone.

And not an email – a legit handwritten note. Just in case you’re unfamiliar with the process, Google it.

4. Share your secret recipe with someone.

We all know someone with a delicious dish that we would love to enjoy and pass on so share the legacy with someone today who will treasure that.

5. Pay it forward by paying it backwards.

Take the bill of the car behind you. Every time this happens to me, I am giddy with glee. It’s an awesome feeling.

6. Make brownies for your neighbors.

A neighbor did this for me once and surprised me by leaving them in our mailbox. Not only were the brownies literally the best brownies I had ever had but it filled me gratitude and I then wanted to do it for someone else.

7. Give something to someone

Give something new or something you love to someone anonymously. When we can let go of ‘things’ and put people first, it’s amazing what happens. I dare you to try this today.

8. Clean someone’s house…or stall. 🙂

Did you really think I was going to go through this list without mentioning cleaning up after our loved ones, both two and four-legged? I have yet to meet someone who truly enjoys cleaning but also yet to meet someone who doesn’t appreciate a clean home (or stall). You are more than welcome to join us at the barn and surprise us with your scooping skillz 🙂

9. Donate to a charity.

‘Nough said.

10. Do something

Just STOP whatever you are doing, and go do something nice for someone! Make it awesome. Surprise and delight the heck out of someone. NOW!

Light requires darkness in order to pierce through it. Kindness and generosity brings light to someone’s day. Go pierce through the darkness and be a light. Hey, you’re glowing!  Happy National Random Acts of Kindness Day!!

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Surprise & Delight. Surprise & Delight. ACHOOOO!!!!  

– Amanda Bocik, Executive Director

P.S. I’m not just blowing smoke here. These pictures were taken this morning as I fed our herd and relieved other team members so that they could be with family today. I have also already done #2, 3, 8 & 9.  So if you see me I’ll be happily glowing from my helper’s high.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]