Do a random act of kindness this week

Finding ways to support positive mental health is something everyone should try to achieve. But did you know something as simple as being kind can help? This Random Acts of Kindness Week, we look at how small acts can improve the wellbeing of yourself and others.

A random act of kindness is doing something nice for someone out of the blue to brighten their day. This could be as simple as telling a loved one you care about them or offering your seat to someone else on the bus. However big or small, it can have a big impact on their day and bring positivity to your own.

In fact, research has shown being kind to others can have a really positive effect on your own wellbeing. Plus, the more you do kind things for others, the more likely they will be kind to you in return!

Get involved

For this year’s Random Acts of Kindness Week, the Random Acts of Kindness Foundation is calling for everyone to #MakeKindnessTheNorm. The Foundation has a participant guide with many ideas of random kind acts. Also, Mental Health UK has a random acts of kindness challenge with 50 things to try. Why not have a go at a different one every day for Random Acts of Kindness Week?

Here are 10 ideas to get you started:

• Call a friend to ask how they are
• Write a positive review online for your favourite local business
• Offer to make a tea or coffee for your work colleagues
• Pick up some litter on your street
• Send a handwritten letter to tell someone how much you care about them
• Offer your seat on the bus or train to someone else
• Tell your loved ones you care about them
• Donate to a charity
• Send your friend some flowers
• Offer to help a friend with their errands

Remember, self-care is just as important as caring for others. So, make sure to do a random act of kindness for yourself too. You could treat yourself to a coffee at your favourite café, or just take some time to relax.

Your first random act of kindness could be to donate to the Charlie Watkins Foundation, which you can do via our JustGiving page. We would be so grateful and you would be making a difference to the lives of young people who face mental health and wellbeing challenges.