During the Coronavirus outbreak, staying positive has definitely been easier some days than others...but one of the major factors that helps me is hearing about small acts of kindness others are doing for others.
So with that spirit in mind, I thought I'd share 15 easy acts of kindness people can do during the Coronavirus outbreak. (And just one caveat: if you are not in the position to help others financially during this time, please remember that there are many other free ways to lift people's spirits, and this list includes a mixture of both!)
1. Give a big THANK YOU for essential workers you see while shopping.
(Especially to the amazing Deli worker at our local Safeway who always tried to keep the lunchmeat my mom eats every day for lunch cut thinly and stocked!)
2. Spread some positivity through chalk sidewalk art or yard signs.
In case you haven't seen even one of the many viral chalk or yard messages, here's a peek...
3. Donate to your local food bank.
Even if some states are starting to end their Stay At Home demands, I doubt the high demand for food bank items is going to end anytime soon. And since it's especially difficult for people with dietary restrictions or food allergies to find appropriate food, every little bit helps.
4. Surprise loved ones you can't visit with hand-written letters.
Plus, science has linked expressing yourself through writing with having a better mood and feeling less stressed...which we all def need right now.
5. Do a Skype "work date" with others who are now working-from-home and could use an extra boost of motivation.
6. Buy what you need instead of stockpiling so there is more left in stores for others.
7. Offer to send someone a homecooked meal or takeout from their favorite restaurant.
And if you're struggling to find new gluten free dinner recipes that are easy to make and use simple pantry ingredients, check out my latest round-uphere!
8. Share your unique skills with others - for free, if you can!
This can range from playing the guitar for your neighbors or sharing an awesome at-home workout on your Instagram if you're a personal trainer. (And if you're looking for awesome at-home workouts to try during the Coronavirus outbreak, I've been loving Berenice's workouts on Insta!)
9. Give your quarantine buddies a nice surprise.
You could cook them dinner, create a massive sofa fort for doing a movie night, complete their half of the chores or whatever you think would make them smile!
10. Buy gift cards from small businesses that are closed so you can still support them during this time.
And if you'd rather just buy some gluten free goodies now, Erica from Celiac and the Beast has written apostall about gluten free bakeries that ship!
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| Petunia's Pies and Pastries - where I enjoyed this EPIC GF and vegan pie - is included in that list! |
11. Send a motivational text or a cute animal pic to someone you know is struggling.
And before you think watching cute animal videos is a waste of time, research hasfoundthat looking at cute animal photos can actually boost people's mood and concentration.
12. Tip delivery drivers generously, if you can.
13. Foster a pet, or see if your local animal shelter is in need of extra donations.
Besides helping out a local shelter overrun with animals, a pet can give some much-needed company during isolation.
14. Leave a thank-you letter, post-it-note or sticky note for your mail deliverer.
15. Give yourself and the people you're quarantining with extra grace during this stressful time period, and recognize that we all are coping in different ways.
And as long as we're doing the best we can to cope and be kind to the people sharing our quarantine space, that's all we can do!
What I Hope You Remember About Being Kind During The Coronavirus Outbreak
Like I said at the beginning of this post, it's much easier to be positive on some days than others. However, that doesn't mean that there aren't any positives from this situation. Because of the coronavirus outbreak, I won't be able to have a grad school graduation ceremony or move to California to be with my boyfriend as soon as I planned, but...
...I've gotten extra quality time with my family (even if sometimes it's too much family time for all of us to handle)!
...I've learned how to challenge my body in new ways now that I don't have access to a gym.
...I'm still healthy and safe and have access to food and shelter.
And when all of this ends, I hope I'll be able to look back on it and not feel like I wasted months of my life waiting for things to go back to normal. Instead, I hope I'll have grown from the challenges and managed to sprinkle a little positivity in others' lives along the way.
So let me know in the comments - how have you been performing small acts of kindness during the Corornavius outbreak? Or what acts of kindness have you heard about?
