Here’s a list of easy ways to help you improve your corner of the world. Pass it to all your friends for CHARACTER COUNTS! Week, then post it on the fridge as a reminder to practice good character all year long.
What are your ideas? Please leave a comment and add to the list!
- Be sure to say please, thank you, and you’re welcome.
- Don’t speed, even a little bit.
- Give blood.
- Tell someone they look great today.
- See how many people you can compliment in a day.
- Smile at someone who looks like they need a little cheering up.
- Tell three people you haven’t met to have a good day.
- Let someone go ahead of you at the grocery store.
- Share your lunch.
- Conserve energy by turning off the lights.
- Don’t honk.
- Don’t cut in line.
- Send a thank you card just because someone did something nice.
- Be extra-pleasant to a food server.
- Recycle—put plastics, glass, and cans in their proper bins.
- Turn off the faucet when brushing your teeth.
- Recycle grocery bags or bring your own canvas bags when shopping.
- Ask to speak to a manager when you get good customer service.
- Smile, even when you don’t know someone.
- Let someone know how much you appreciate them (family, friend, colleague, boss, employee, law enforcement, cleaning crew at your job, security personnel, local mail person, day care provider…).
- Offer a babysitting night.
- Thank someone who allows you to change lanes in front of them.
- Let someone pull out ahead of you.
- Pick up something that fell down in a store (even if it wasn’t your fault).
- Call a friend after going out with him/her and say you had a great time and appreciated their company.
- Say “please” as many times as possible in one day.
- For today, analyze the cost of being right.
- Offer someone your help before being asked.
- Say something nice to every person you meet in one day.
- Donate to an organization you believe in.
- Invite someone new to lunch.
- Tip unusually well.
- Ride, walk or carpool to work.
- Buy coffee for the person behind you in line at your favorite café.
- Pay for an extra toll at the toll booth for the person behind you.
- Do your sibling’s or spouse’s chores for them.
- Write a letter to a prisoner or soldier.
- Tell your parents that they’ve done a great job.
- Give someone a hug who really needs it.
- Bring in coffee, donuts, or bagels for your coworkers.
- Send your grandma flowers just because she’s special.
- Be the first to say you’re sorry.
- Use non-toxic cleaning supplies to help protect the environment.
- Honor someone’s privacy by NOT sharing with anyone that juicy bit of unflattering gossip you learned about them.
- Commit to making it through one whole day without saying one unkind word about anyone.
- If that was easy, can you make it a week?
- Find a way to show compassion for someone you don’t like or agree with.
- Bring some paper goods or toiletries to a shelter.
- When you take your dog for a walk, pick up someone else’s dog mess...while you’ve got that bag in your hand anyway.
- Make it a point to vote.
