Making The World A Better Place, One Kind Hearted Good Deed At A Time
I live in the very back of our subdivision, and the houses at the end of our street back up to an open field, so there’s no outlet.
Due to this, it’s usually a very quiet, low traffic area.
However, the temps have warmed up substantially this week, and this welcomed change in weather has brought quite the influx of visitors.
From strollers, tricycles, bicycles, wagons, walkers, and even the occasional golf cart, our street, or more so, the area near my house, has been busy, buzzing with littles, laughter, and mom chatter.
Why?
Because last year, my neighbor, a mom of two precious kiddos, decided to place a ‘little library’ in front of her house.
Upon sharing her vision for this project, neighbors all throughout the subdivision donated children’s books (and more) to be used in the ‘little library.’
Last year the sidewalk traffic ebbed and flowed, but as more and more sweet little readers have experienced the joy intended behind this thoughtful gesture, excited youngsters have been returning enmasse to find and return their literary treasures.
I truly wish I could import audio into this article, because there’s no way I can accurately describe just how happy the sounds coming through my open windows have been the past few days.
And, seeing and hearing this joy spreading throughout our neighborhood reminded me of my grandpa.
Every year at Christmas he would provide funds for our local grocery store to package seemingly hundreds of brown paper lunch bags filled with the following contents: roasted peanuts, a candy bar, an apple, and an orange.
That might not seem like much in today’s world, but I still receive messages throughout the holiday season from friends and acquaintances back home - “Do you remember when your grandpa used to pass out those treat bags at Christmas? I loved those! I always looked forward to getting one each year!”
A few years ago when I was telling my kids about this, they couldn’t necessarily understand the excitement behind a small sack of peanuts, candy, and a few pieces of fruit, but I can recall my daughter grinning as she commented - “You’ve told us this story a few times, and every time you have the biggest smile on your face.”
Why?
Because this simple act of kindness brought so many of us kids such great joy! (The adults never turned away a treat bag either!)
The thing is, I wish you could’ve seen my grandpa’s face when we’d walk into his house after church with our treat bags in hand. Every year he’d light up with the biggest smile!
I see the same light in the face of my neighbor as she stands out in her driveway chatting with fellow parents while watching the neighborhood kids pick out books, play ball with her kids, and simply have fun.
So tell me, what commonalities do you see in each of the examples I’ve listed here?
The greatest things that come to my mind include joy, kindness, selflessness, connection/community.
In both scenarios, someone took it upon themselves to share kindness with others.
In each example, these folks did a simple good deed for no other reason than to selflessly bring benefit to those in their town or neighborhood.
As a result, so many lives have been and are being touched, connections are being formed, and joy is being spread.
And frankly, I think we can all agree that sharing kindness and spreading a little joy in this world through selfless good deeds is something we can all get behind!
So, let’s dig in and see what we can uncover when we focus on spreading joy, doing good deeds, and uplifting those around us.
Cause, Kindness, And Connection At The Heart Of Good Deeds
What are good deeds? And, why do we do good deeds?
Good deeds are actions done out of a heart of kindness and/or generosity, actions which seek to benefit others or contribute in a positive way to individuals or society as a whole.
We do good deeds through a desire to, as stated in the above description, benefit others.
When you think about it, all good deeds - from a friendly smile and wave to financial support, a lended ear, helping hand, paying for a stranger’s coffee, and more - stem from a desire to brighten the world through spreading kindness.
Think about a good deed you’ve done for someone… Did it bring that person joy? Did showing forth such care bring you joy as well?
Now, recall a good deed you’ve experienced personally… Did the kindness shown to you bring you joy? Did the good deed you experienced also grant you a desire to brighten your corner of the world through similar acts?
This is indeed the goal of good deeds.
But, if we were to look at good deeds under a microscope, I think you’d find a few more attributes and concepts hiding here as well.
For instance, we have 4 Core Pillars here at Lifeboost that we use as a guidepost in our business endeavors as well as our daily lives.
In other words, these values are at the heart of how we operate as a company, and they even explain why we do the things we do, professionally and individually.
And, when examining the notion of performing good deeds, I immediately think of three of our four pillars - cause, kindness, and connection.
1- Cause
Generally, when people do good deeds, you’ll find that actions fall in line with passions.
For instance, both my neighbor and my grandpa love(d) people, especially children. And, each of their good deeds therefore seek/sought to positively impact children through their acts of kindness.
Here at Lifeboost, you’ve likely heard of how we financially support causes which we believe to be valuable.
We support the Rainforest Trust because we believe the health of our planet to be monumental. Protecting our planet’s rainforests is paramount, especially for coffee drinkers, as much of this commodity is grown within rainforest regions.
This is also why we only use sustainable farming methods to organically grow our coffee, because the ‘cause’ of protecting our planet is not something we take lightly.
We also believe in supporting our farmers and their communities. We value their work and knowledge greatly, and this is why we choose to invest in their communities and families.
We do this by working with Project Alianza, an organization that builds schools in the communities where our coffee is grown, providing safe, quality education (and bringing much joy and laughter) to the children living in these regions.
These are just a few examples, but my point here is when we seek to do good deeds, starting with those causes we feel passionate about can serve as a springboard to enact our good intentions.
2- Kindness
Okay, this is likely a no-brainer, but when we do good deeds for others, kindness is, and should be, at the heart of those actions.
In fact, without this motive, good deeds often fall flat.
Concerning the things I mentioned above, if we only acted out of passion, supporting these causes out of dutiful feelings, I truly don’t think these efforts would extend as far as they do.
In other words, when kindness is at the heart of the good deeds we seek to perform for others, it shows.
And, this is something I’ve personally seen in many ways through my connection to Lifeboost.
I package gift boxes for Lifeboost, and about a year ago we had an overstock…a big one!
As I reported this to our Director of Operations, Michelle, she immediately responded with the suggestion to donate the surplus to a local charity.
We have a few charities in town that regularly accept donations, but one of these locations (for whatever reason) was not taking calls or answering emails.
And, the other location was overwhelmed with donations at the time, so they couldn’t accept the coffee.
I asked around town for other suggestions and looked on the web, but I came up empty-handed.
Michelle, however, performed her magic and somehow found a small, lesser-known, charity in need.
When the elderly couple came to load up the coffee from my house, they were in tears when they saw our donation.
They thanked us repeatedly, hugs and all, and the lady tearfully told me that she and her husband were trying to help out folks in need all they could, but so many in town donated to the larger, more well-known, organizations, which commonly left them lacking.
They were overwhelmed with gratitude for our good deed, but I can honestly say I too was overwhelmed with joy seeing our Director of Operations react to the situation with nothing but a heart of kindness.
3- Connection
In 2007 there began a global initiative to unite both individuals and organizations around volunteering, performing acts of kindness, and seeking to simply do good for the benefit of others and the planet.
This initiative is known as Good Deeds Day.
The goal of this movement? To make the world a better place.
But, do you notice a key ingredient and intended outcome within this endeavor?
Connection.
This initiative ultimately seeks to unite folks around the concept of good deeds.
And, this is something we’re well acquainted with at Lifeboost.
As a coffee company, we see connection as one of the many health/life benefits of this fabulous brew.
Coffee just seems to bring people together!
We commonly meet folks for coffee, have deep conversations over a cup of coffee, spend time working with colleagues over coffee, and each of these situations - over coffee - allow us to connect with others.
When it comes to good deeds though, we’ve been so very privileged to connect with countless individuals because of coffee and our desire to come alongside the folks in our community.
I’ve been blessed to write about a few of these donations, and it never ceases to amaze me, the amount of joy seen/felt through the photos and commentary regarding these encounters.
When our Customer Service Manager, Taylor, delivers coffee donations to local firefighters, police, and EMS workers, they smile from ear to ear upon her arrival!
These folks are not only appreciative of the gesture in general, but you can also tell they’re genuinely excited to receive such a gift.
And, what I find equally as encouraging is to see Taylor’s smile as she interacts with these community servants.
Smiles, laughter, joy, gratitude, these are all products of connection, and it seems to me that good deeds just bring these out in folks in ways far beyond our comprehension!
I guess it simply boils down to this - kindness begets kindness, joy begets joy, light begets light - and good deeds well, these not only beget good deeds, but each of the aforementioned as well: kindness, joy, and light.
I’m sure you’ve heard the saying, “be the good you want to see in the world.” Well, this is exactly what you’re living out when performing good deeds.
So then, let’s close out with some easy ways you can do just that…be the good in this world by spreading joy through good deeds.
Spreading Joy Through Good Deeds
How can you positively impact those around you?
How can you make this world a better place?
Sometimes we can be tempted to think, as individuals, that what we do doesn’t matter all that much, and I’m here to tell you this tempted thought is entirely false!
A very short summary of the starfish story goes a little something like this:
A boy went for a walk on the beach, and as he strolled he was distraught to find that countless starfish had washed up onto the shore.
Through a great desire to save the beach-stranded starfish, the young boy began tossing them, one by one, back into the ocean.
Seeing the child’s efforts as less than impactful, an older gentleman approached him and asked why he was wasting his efforts - “You can’t save all these starfish. What you’re doing won’t make a difference.”
To which the boy replied, tossing another starfish into the ocean - “It made a difference for that one…”
Friends, never view any good deed performed to/for you as insignificant!
And friends, never view any good deed you perform to/for others as insignificant!
Even the smallest of gestures can mean the world to the one on the receiving end of such acts.
So, with that being said - let’s all go out into our homes, communities, and world, seeking to share joy, kindness, and to connect with others through heartfelt good deeds.
Here’s just a few to get you started…
1- Smiles Are Free, But Invaluable
It doesn’t cost anything to smile, yet receiving a friendly smile can be wholly invaluable!
So, when you’re out and about, be sure to genuinely smile at your neighbors, share a smile with those you encounter as you go about your day, and don’t be stingy with your pearly whites when it comes to friends and family members too.
2- Helping Hands
Is your elderly neighbor’s yard getting out of hand? Instead of complaining, lend a helping hand.
Are your friends in need of a date night? Lend a hand by letting their kids hang out with your children for the evening, seeking to bless your extra house guests with kindness during their stay.
No matter the task (bringing in groceries, helping with homework, bringing a meal), seek to look for ways to lend a helping hand to others.
3- Compliments
Words matter. And, just like smiles, they can truly brighten someone’s day.
One of the simplest good deeds is performed when we share kind compliments to others.
4- Helpful Words
Aside from compliments, you can also help others with your words.
The internet indeed houses a lot of information, but consider the connection built between neighbors when you ask for, or receive, a recipe, a how-to, or a helpful recommendation.
5- Volunteering
Animal shelters, homeless shelters, donation centers, food pantries, community clean-ups, and more…each of these offer a means for you to connect with causes dear to your heart while performing good deeds.
6- Send A Card
Feel free to go back in time…you know, pre-digital age…and send a handwritten card to a friend, neighbor, or loved one.
Of course, this can be for a special occasion, or even better, send one unexpectedly.
7- Donations
Organize a clothing or toy drive in your community or simply take the time to go through your household items, toys, and clothing. Then, plan to donate gently used items to those in need.
8- Caring Through Coffee
Coffee is a great way to connect with others, but it’s also a great way to show you care.
You can enjoy company and coffee when performing a good deed by asking a lonely neighbor to join you for a cup of joe.
You can perform a good deed to a stranger by paying for their coffee at your local cafe.
Or, even seek to donate coffee to your local food bank.
9- Leave A Kind Review
Love a product, enjoy a service, or feel great about a recent company interaction?
You can perform a good deed and brighten someone’s day by simply sharing kind words about your experience with others.
10- Provide A Meal
Whether it’s through a dinner invite or a dropped off meal for a family in need, food commonly communicates care.
Plan to look for opportunities to help others in this way.
11- Organize A Clean Up
If you’re passionate about cleaning up our planet, connect with like-minded folks in your community by volunteering to clean up a local park, pick up litter, or work on an environmentally focused project.
12- Support
Is your friend or neighbor starting a new business?
You can perform a good deed by simply showing support for their endeavors. Maybe this means purchasing a product, sharing their posts, or telling others about such new and exciting opportunities.
13- Financial Support
One way to perform good deeds is by faithfully supporting organizations that align with your passions. Some choose to do this by earmarking a specific portion of their income to donate to those causes on a regular basis.
14- Call Or Text
Plan to send a text or call and check on your friends and loved ones to let them know you care.
15- Hold The Door
When going in or out of a public place, be sure to take the simple opportunity to share kindness by holding the door open for others (entering or exiting).
Bonus - this is a prime time to share a smile or a compliment as well!
Check out Lifeboost Coffee Grata Medium Roast.
Becky is a mother, educator, and content writer for Lifeboost Coffee. She has had three years’ experience as a writer, and in that time she has enjoyed creatively composing articles and ebooks covering the topics of coffee, health and fitness, education, recipes, and relationships.