We have recently looked at ways to make another person’s day here where we discussed how a simple act could make a significant difference in someone else’s life. Here we’ll look at things we can do which will not only make someone else’s day better, but by mere practise, enhance our own growth and development into a better, more charming person. These following actions enrich our personality and make us better for doing them.

1. Let the person with the child in the back seat have the parking space you spotted first. It means the same to them as it would to you, if you were out with your child. Sacrifice of self alleviates the soul of greed and petty worries about material gains. Done often (like the people who volunteer at soup kitchens) threaten to cure it almost entirely.
2. Even when you’re in a hurry, if you’re in your car, stop and allow pedestrians walking in the rain cross the street. There is no guarantee that the cars behind you would stop unless you do so, and make them have to. Forcing ourselves to wait, even when we’re in a hurry, develops patience
3. On paydays buy a take out meal for someone you think may be struggling. A person who’s just lost his/her job, a widow/widower, or a house bound neighbour. Not only would this help to give them a bright spark to an otherwise dull life, it would make you feel as though your wages have been fully and completely earned. We all have days in which we don’t do as much as we can at our work places. Finding time to balance this out, helps us to feel less slothful.
4. Pay for the stamps the pensioner beside you at the post office, is rummaging in his/her wallet for change to buy. Giving a little helps us to feel better about the many ways in which we over spend on ourselves. Putting a smile on someone else’s face goes a long way to putting joy in our hearts.
5. Offer to go to the weighing in of someone who’s trying but struggling to lose weight in their weight loss group, or offer to join the group with them. All they need is a bit of encouragement. Being a good friend, even when we don’t feel like it, cultivates within us, care and concern for other people. Even if your heart is not into it at first, like in every thing else, practise soon becomes perfection.
6. Now and then, send flowers to a friend who is single and finds it hard to date. On valentine day, send him/her chocolates and a card. This one is just to be nice, soon you’ll be thinking of lots more fantastic ways to be a friend.

   

7. Share something close to your heart with a friend who is struggling. Sometimes we need to hear about other people’s problems to put our own in perspective. We tend to think that we’re the only ones suffering out of the circle of our friends. When we hear about other people’s problems, ours don’t seem so depressing after all. It’s only human nature.
8. If a friend is having a wedding or sadly, a funeral, offer to transport their visitors or provide a couple of meals if you can. This goes a long way with someone who has a lot on their plate. Be dependable, someone people know they can always trust to be thoughtful. Let your name, when thought of, conjure up dependability, practically and honesty.
9. Have a “bashing” day for a friend who’s just suffered a break-up. If you’re a girl, invite her girlfriends over (if you’re a bloke, you may have to promise the blokes a slap up meal to tempt them over). Have a good rave of all the men you all have ever broken up with, or those who’ve left you. Organise a safe place to burn old pictures and little tokens of his she may have kept. Let her weep and have a good old cry all around. You’d be surprised how much this helps everyone involved. It’s great to enrich your funny mischievous side, and what better way to give vent to it, than to do so to help someone.
10. If you pray for or do something good for a person you do not like very much, you’ll find that the dislike you feel, ebbing away with every good deed/prayer. If this is someone you have to see everyday (colleague e.g) feeling better about this person would do you more good than it would them. Just to prove this wrong, try it!