Kindness is contagious. When you brighten someone else’s day, it puts a smile on their face, and they can’t help but do the same for someone else.
And the world needs more of that.
How to Brighten Someone’s Day
Sometimes we want to make others’ lives a tiny bit better, but don’t know where to start. Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered!
Today, we’re sharing how to brighten anyone’s day, from strangers to loved ones and everyone in between.
Here’s how to brighten someone’s day and bring more joy to the world.
Brighten Anyone’s Day
Our first five ideas work for everyone: strangers on the street, your partner, kids, coworkers, etc.
- Give a Compliment
- Active Listening
- Leave an Inspiring Note
- Show Appreciation
- Smile!
Everyone loves compliments, everyone wants to be heard, and an inspiring note can give joy to anyone who sees it. And who doesn’t light up when they see someone else’s cheery smile?
Tell someone you love their shirt. Say thank you when someone does something nice. Listen to a stranger tell you about their day. Leave a thank-you note. These simple gestures can make anyone’s day better.
A word of caution: when giving compliments, avoid things someone can’t change, like their looks. Instead, compliment them about something unique to their identity, like their style, their effort, or their achievement.
Brighten Your Loved One’s Day
It’s a lot easier to brighten someone’s day when we know them well, but sometimes we get too comfortable and forget that our partners, parents, and children need appreciation, too.
Here are small ways you can spread joy to the people you cherish most.
- Bring Flowers or Small Gifts
- Share a Fond Memory
- Take over a Chore
- Hugs
- Create a Mini-Scavenger Hunt
- Make their Favorite Meal
- Take them Out
- Plan a Fun Day
- Play with Them
- Express Appreciation
Interesting how some of the easiest ways to brighten someone’s day match the love languages, isn’t it? Gift giving, words of affirmation, acts of service, and physical affection can all brighten your loved one’s day, but it works best if you tailor it to them.
For example, I’m big on words of affirmation, but my husband prefers physical touch, so I brighten his days with hugs rather than expressing my thanks for all he does, because that’s how he best receives it.
Some of the other ideas are a little harder, especially things like cooking a meal (unless their favorite is something simple!), planning a fun day, or creating a scavenger hunt, but it’s worth putting in effort to show our loved ones how much we care about them.
Brighten Someone’s Day at Work
Some of us spend more time with our colleagues than with our friends and families, making work an ideal place to spread more joy.
These simple acts will brighten your coworker’s day and make work a little more bearable for all of you.
- Bring Treats
- Help with a Task
- Ask about their Favorite Thing
- Invite Them
- Commiserate
- Buy a Coffee
- Acknowledge their Work
Small kindnesses at work can go a long way. Letting someone vent or share their reasons for coming into the office can make a massive difference, but so can small things like filling the treat bowl or inviting them on a walk to get out of the office for a minute.
We have a candy bowl at my office that people randomly fill with all sorts of goodies, like Rice Krispies treats, nutty bars, fun-sized candies, and even play-dough. We all contribute, and we all enjoy seeing what fun items others will bring.
I’ve also instituted a weekly bonus coffee run. Every Friday, my colleagues and I head for a walk to the nearby coffee shop. We chat about work and life, and get a fabulous treat as a reward for making it through the week. If you want to spread even more joy, treat them to coffee every once in a while!
Brighten up a Stranger’s Day
Brightening a stranger’s day is so easy, I don’t know why more people don’t do it. Simple actions like holding the door, picking up a fallen object, or offering your spot in line are small kindnesses anyone can do almost every day.
Do more of these:
- Hold the Door
- Give Food or Water
- Let them Go First
- Drive Nicely
- Be Polite
- Pick it Up
- Pay it Forward
- Leave a Positive Comment
- Support Their Work
Some of the other ideas for brightening a stranger’s day are specific to the type of stranger. I carry bottled water with me when I walk downtown and give it to people who look like they’re struggling.
I leave comments on positive reviews on people’s blog posts, YouTube videos, and social media posts.
These small gestures mean a lot to the people receiving them, and if I’m going to be chronically online anyway, why not brighten a stranger’s day?
Brighten a Friend‘s Day
Our friends are the best at brightening our day, so why not return the favor?
Whether you live near or far, one of these ideas will brighten your friend’s day:
- Send a Card
- Call
- Share a Meme
- Treat Them
- Make them Laugh
- Visit
- Plan Something Fun
- Host a Get-Together
- Send their Loved Ones Gifts (Pets, Kids)
If you want to get really crazy, you can make scrapbooks for your friends. It took me two years, but I made bestie scrapbooks for my three best friends who live in another state.
I wish I could have seen the joy on their faces when they opened their packages, but they expressed their appreciation via text.
They still tell me how much they love their books.
Kindness is Contagious – Pass it On!
You might have noticed that these simple ways to brighten someone’s day sound familiar. A lot of them, especially the ones for strangers, are the same as the ways to spread kindness, because guess what – kindness brightens people’s days!
So the real trick to brightening anyone’s day is showing kindness. Smile, offer a helping hand, show empathy, and act like you care.
The world needs more kindness, and you can be the one to spread it!