September is National Courtesy Month. It's a perfect time to pass on your values to your children or simply brush up on manners by being kind to friends, colleagues, and strangers. Try these 7 ways to celebrate National Courtesy Month without breaking the bank.
- Volunteer. Volunteering is a great way to support a cause you care about without writing a check. Whether you're interested in a long-term commitment or only have time to give a single afternoon, you can make an impact. Use VolunteerMatch to identify available volunteer opportunities near you, or identify a need and do what you can to fix it. By picking up trash when you walk your dog, you can reduce nuisance animals, clean up your neighborhood, and improve the environment.
- Say Please and Thank You. Please and thank you are the first manners many of us learn, but do you still say please and thank you as an adult? Say "thank you" when someone does something nice for you, like hold the door at the post office. Add a please to the end of your morning coffee order or thank a waitress for great service to pass along the positivityy. Take this beyond the basics by making your own thank you cards for people who have had a big impact on your life.
- Practice Gratitude. A gratitude practice can be transformative, as it floods your mind and body with positive emotions. When you show gratitude to people, you can light a small spark of kindness that boosts their mood. Call friends and family members and tell them what you appreciate about them.
- Be an Active Listener. Listen when other people talk to you—really listen. Avoid thinking about what you might add to the conversation and instead focus only on the other person. By listening actively, without interrupting, you can demonstrate your engagement in the conversation and give the other person the opportunity to really feel heard. When the other person stops talking, you can reply. If you have kids, practice active listening with them. Teach them to be quiet when someone else is speaking, look at the speaker, and avoid interrupting.
- Treat Someone. You don't have to buy someone a cup of coffee to treat them. Share what you have with someone who would appreciate it. Bake something low-cost, like brownies, and bring them into work to share. Or take a book you've read and offer it to a friend who might be interested in the topic.
- Give a Compliment. When is the last time you complimented someone's outfit or appreciated their talent? A few seconds can brighten someone's day.
- Let Someone Cut. Cutting is seen as negative, but people have legitimate reasons for rushing. If you see someone who can't wait, let them get ahead of you in line.
When you are courteous, you can reduce feelings of stress and negativity and be more positive. Many times this can have a ripple effect and spread kindness beyond that very moment.