We all want to be kinder and for our acts of kindness to really matter. In her article in My Modern Met, Sara Barnes collected stories of people sharing heartwarming acts of kindness they’ve received from complete strangers. Reading through them will restore your faith in people.
Here are three best ways to ensure your act of kindness really counts.
Number 1. Be sure what you are doing really helps.
A man saw car seats in a car window whose breaks looked really bad. As he was in the car business, he offered to repair the brakes for free. You can trust that gift of kindness made a genuine difference because it was something the parent really needed.
Number 2. Be kind then be on your way.
A woman who couldn't speak English sat beside a person who passed out on a subway. Once the person regained consciousness, the kind woman sat with her until the next stop and waited with her until paramedics arrived. At that point, she patted the person's hand and left. Your kindness will speak for itself. Don't stick around to take credit.
Number 3. Always assume someone could use some help.
Sometimes we are tempted to step in and do something, then we second guess ourselves. We don't want to look foolish or embarrass someone who doesn't need help after all. Get over all that and offer help.
A 14 year old boy was in an emergency room waiting for his dad. He had no way to contact any family members (pre-cellphone days). A person handed him a handful of quarters for the payphone. That person could have assumed that boy didn't need any help since he was at a hospital. But that boy, grown up, never forgot that kind act.
These stories and more are in the article linked above and here.