One Life Can

Next time you’re in an ice cream shoppe ask the staff to add a kid’s cone to your tab. Then ask them to not prepare it just yet but give it to the next kid who walks into the shop instead.

Next time you’re at an airport or bus station, give a teddy bear to a soldier in uniform. Chances are, that soldier has just left someone she loves not knowing if she’ll see them again. Or she’s coming home to someone who has worried about her everyday. Help make sure she has a cuddly friend to bring home to that special someone.

Surprise a friend with a photo from your earlier days. Bonus points if it’s an especially silly photo that has a great story to go along with it. Want to make it extra special? Have it custom printed on a t-shirt and then send it. You can find many services that will do this for you: Zazzle, CafePress, Printfection, and perhaps even a store at your local mall.

Your waiter has a hard job. He’s on his feet for hours and gets the blame for food not being prompt or correct even though he’s not the one actually cooking the food. Consider leaving a generous tip and add a kind note to your receipt. He’ll appreciate it. Trust. Oh, and even if your waiter is horrible…give him the benefit of the doubt. Maybe he’s had an especially difficult customer, is covering on a short-handed shift, or just dealing with something else in life. We all have those days. Instead of stiffing him on the tip, try leaving him a nice tip and a kind encouraging word. Then leave and watch from somewhere unnoticed. Once he’s read your note, you’ll see him get an extra pep in his step and give just a little bit better service to his next set of customers.

There are so many reasons to be upset in traffic. How about you dispel some of that road rage and pay for the toll for the car behind you? Often, you’ll find that car will pay it forward and start a chain. When that car catches up to you? You’ll usually get a smile and a nod of thanks. Watch, they’ll be just a little bit kinder to the other drivers around you. For some real fun, pay for the next 5 cars behind you and watch their bewilderment.