One of my favourite clichés is it’s nice to be nice! But it really is, isn’t it? Nothing better than the warm fuzzy feeling of doing someone a favour that makes their day or giving a gift you know they’ll love. But how about being nice without anyone knowing it was you? Would you still get off on that anonymous act of kindness?
Someone once said (I have a feeling it was in the bible, actually!) that the best way to give is anonymously, because it means you’re truly doing it for the right reasons and not to get a pat on the back. Recently, I heard about a cool project called WakeUp Sydney, a community of 12,000+ people celebrating kindness, courage and compassion. They encourage you to order their free kindness cards, the idea being to use them to anonymously do kind things for others, whether people you know or complete strangers. They assure you the feeling is magical! I don’t need much convincing.
I recently received my kindness cards and I can’t wait to get started. The idea is you leave the card behind when you carry out your anonymous act of kindness (like paying for someone’s coffee, sending someone an inspirational book, dropping a movie voucher in your neighbour’s letterbox or leaving groceries on someone’s doorstep) and the receiver then takes it and carries it on by doing something kind for someone else.
I just think it’s the loveliest, simple idea! Why not order your own free kindness cards?
What do you think about anonymous giving? I think it’s only human nature to want a pat on the back for giving to a good cause. Would you, hand on heart, still give if nobody ever knew you had? Food for thought isn’t it?
One reply on “Off-topic Tuesday: anonymous acts of kindness”
I think this is a wonderful idea and love the concept. I do agree that most people give to get recognition of some sort, but if we we believe in the idea that what you put out there, you get back from the universe is in essence the same thing! It’s karma.