I am so excited about today! If you've been reading this little blog of mine for awhile, you know that way back in November I gave myself a little kick in the pants. I felt that I wasn't doing enough for others. I needed a reminder that I should be doing a better job of intentionally showing kindness, even if just through simple acts. In other words, I was striving to make my own random acts of kindness, LESS random. This idea that I needed to find more ways to "spread some sunshine", as I like to call it, has been pretty life-changing. It's made me focus less on myself, and more on others, and I'm happier because of it. It's become a daily habit for me to open my eyes and look for opportunities to put a smile on someone else's face. And, best of all, that attitude has rubbed off on my children. One day, Jack, who just turned four, asked me, "How can we make someone smile today, mommy?" Talk about making a mama proud! That was the day we handed out balloons to the kiddos in the waiting area of our pediatrician's office. It was a short and simple detour during our day, and we made lots of people smile, including the office staff. See? Easy!
To celebrate Spring, and good deeds, and SUNSHINE, I really wanted to give away some goodies in the hopes that you'll also be inspired to spread some sunshine of your own.
Here's what I'm giving away:
CUTENESS, right?!! It all started with this pin, I came across. Through that pin, I discovered the adorable, Whitney, who blogs over at Elm Street Life. She makes and sells the most darling, handmade bags ever in her etsy shop, Brighter Day. I'm thrilled to have her little shop button here on P&P now. Please do make sure to check out all the great goodies she has in her shop. Whitney is an absolute sweetheart, with a heart of gold, and she's definitely spread some sunshine of her own by donating this bag for the sunshine giveaway. Thanks, Whitney!
To celebrate Spring, and good deeds, and SUNSHINE, I really wanted to give away some goodies in the hopes that you'll also be inspired to spread some sunshine of your own.
Here's what I'm giving away:
CUTENESS, right?!! It all started with this pin, I came across. Through that pin, I discovered the adorable, Whitney, who blogs over at Elm Street Life. She makes and sells the most darling, handmade bags ever in her etsy shop, Brighter Day. I'm thrilled to have her little shop button here on P&P now. Please do make sure to check out all the great goodies she has in her shop. Whitney is an absolute sweetheart, with a heart of gold, and she's definitely spread some sunshine of her own by donating this bag for the sunshine giveaway. Thanks, Whitney!
Oh, and I'll also be tucking a $25 Target gift card inside of this sweet, yellow clutch before I pop it into the mail to the winner. So, how do you enter? It's easy! No Tweeting, Facebook-announcing, standing on your head, or hopping on one foot while chewing gum will be necessary for this blog giveaway! Nice for a change, yes? All you need to do is leave a comment here telling me about how you helped spread some sunshine. THAT'S IT! I'm not even requiring you to follow this little blog of mine (but I'd be tickled pink if you did!) Nope, the whole idea here is to make the world a little brighter and a little happier, one small ray of sunshine at a time. So get to it! Get your children involved! Have fun! You can leave up to three comments with three different good deeds. Need some ideas? There are lots here and here. The giveaway will close on Wednesday, 3/28/2012 at midnight, and the winner will be announced here on Thursday, 3/29/2012. (winner chosen via random.org)
Good luck and happy sunshine spreading to YOU!
Good luck and happy sunshine spreading to YOU!
45 comments:
We bought a pizza for our window contractors. They seemed genuinely surprised and happy. Jake was happy because the construction workers like pizza just like he does! :). The next day they wouldn't let me buy them lunch. They said most customers don't do that for them.
The summer after my freshman year in college a young family opened their home to me and let me stay for the summer. They had a huge impact on me. I've been meaning to send thanks for YEARS! Fast forward to last week when I found out about the wife's breast cancer diagnosis. I felt I couldn't put it off any longer. Anyway, I sent them a letter. We all had an emotional response. I wouldn't think it was an act of kindness but, they stated it was and was just what they needed to see after her surgery. Felt good. We should let people know more how much we appreciate their impact in our lives.
Yesterday, I paid for the persons food behind me at Wendy's. My son wondered why? I told him so we could make someone smile! :). Thanks for sharing!
I gave my Aunt a debit card to use if she was in need. It probably made me feel better than it did her, just because I was able to help someone else:)
I was the recipient of someone else's kindness, a total stranger to me. That person was YOU Rachel.
You sent me all of your VHC files for my little ones 1st Birthday! Thank You! How does someone send YOU some sunshine?
I got up extra early this morning to make my husband's coffee. Now this may not seem like a big deal, but it is cause I do NOT get up early :) He has an interview today and I wanted to take one less thing off of his mind :)
I helped an elderl y man load his groceries into his car o er the weekend. It felt.so good to do something ao small that was greatly appreciated! Keep on keepin on!
We have new neighbors you are living 2000 miles away from family and know no one in the area. Shes also 27 weeks prego and on bed rest. I decided while out at Wal-mart today to pick up some goodies and drop them off to her. She almost cried when I stopped by. Im glad I could make her week a little more bright and bearable :0)
thank you, Rachel, for your generous giveaway and most of all your fun and motivating and darling blog! I feel blessed everyday by my sunny first graders. I am a teacher and am so thankful that I can brighten their days as much as they do mine. Kelly Email- teacherturk@gmail.com
This year for my oldest daughter's 5th birthday we asked her guests to bring one book, which will be donated to our local women & children's shelter. I've been wanting to get my children to become more involved in volunteering & understanding how little things like donating a book could make a child so happy.
Thank you for your enjoyable blog writings. I love all your bright ideas! I am blessed to be a teacher and my first graders brighten my days as much as I try to do the same for them!
What a great giveaway! and so fun to read everyones comments.. I am going out of town this weekend so before i left.. i wrote a sweet little message and put it on my husbands sink.. I love to surprise him with my love letters!
I left my sweet husband sleep in this morning and snuggle with our dog, which might seem insignificant, except that I get to do it every other day. He loved it!
I donated many of my teaching files that I created to teachers in need who were affected by the recent tornadoes in the mid-west. I can't imagine being in their position.
I shared my favorite bag of chips with all of my co-workers at lunch today. Everyone deserves some snacks on a Friday afternoon!
Thanks for the giveaway!
We sent flowers to our grandmother/great grandmother who is currently in the hospital. She's been annoyed at being cooped up and bored silly, so we sent her an orchid plant in her favorite color (purple) to let her know we were thinking of her. Now she's taking some time to research how to care for it when she gets home, giving her something to do. Not a big gesture, but it was a little something that helped brighten her day :).
Every year around this time the local fire fighters stand at all the major intersections holding out their big black boots for passers by drop change into. (For a Charity that they support.)Today we emptied all of the change from our car into one of the boots. The fire fighter seemed so happy and thankful. It felt good!!! :)
I gave a free eye exam and pair of glasses to a child in need yesterday. The child was 11 years old with vision that should have been corrected years ago. I smile knowing that the child will now do much better in school and actually see the world around him! I love giving the gift of sight!
I wrote a long overdue thank you note to my parents thanking them for years of love and support.
Tomorrow I'm going to work all the they in my garden and it will be full of new flowers! :)
My husband was recently in a not-so-happy mood at work, so I texted him a "Happy Thought of the Day" message. It made him smile and my plan is to try and send him a "Happy Thought of the Day" text as often as I can remember. :)
Hi Rach! I'm not good at remembering these things but this passed year we gave my great aunt money to help with the cost of replacing her water heater and just a few weeks ago, the littlest ones and I paid for a woman's target purchases because she didn't have enough money. It was milk and baby food so we knew she really needed it.
My fiance and I took lunch to his super hungry cousin while she was at work. She was soo excited and grateful. We both left feeling full too. ;)
There was a cute little stray dog on my street. She had a collar and was on a leash (no tags). I ask around no one knew who she belonged to, a young lady offered to walk the neighborhood to find her owner. (she found her owner) I gave the young lady $10 for her help. It was a win win!!!
Rachel, your "spreading some sunshine" posts have made me smile and have inspired me to be more deliberate about looking for ways to give.
Recently, some good friends found out they would need to move from their rental home due to some unfortunate circumstances with the home's owner. It was sudden and unexpected. With a 5 month old and a 3 year old, moving themselves was going to be challenging. So I offered to watch the kids for them the day they moved.
I know how much I've appreciated a friend's offer to care for my kids, and I know my friend appreciated my help greatly. A few days after getting settled, we visited her new home and decorated Valentine's Day cookies as she quickly began warming her new house and making it her own :)
The principal at my little guys school is not very friendly. Still, knowing that two wrongs don't make a right, I come in to pick him up once a week and smile and say hello to her. One afternoon, a woman who only spoke Spanish came in to pick up her friend's daughter. Apparently, there was no note on file for the day stating she was to be picked up. The principal was becoming flustered about the language barrier and the secretaries were clueless. They were becoming worried since it was 5 minutes to dismissal. I decided to give a hand... I asked the principal "Do you mind if I tell you what she is trying to say? She says there is a permanent note on file stating she can pick up the child when need be." The ice immediately melted from the principal, a sigh of relief, and she actually smiled at me! She thanked me so much for serving as translator. Since then, she has greeted me with a smile and says hello.
I made a new friend last summer. Her first husband, who she was madly in love with, unfortunately passed away from cancer when she was pregnant with her daughter. September marked the 20th anniversary of his passing, and the days leading up to it, I noticed she was very sad. She talked a little more about him during our time together. I decided to surprise her and made her a custard. I called to see if she would be home and went by and dropped it off. The smile on her face proved that it was a pick me up, even if for merely a little while.
One summer afternoon, I was at McD's with my two and was standing beside a woman and her 3 children under age 5. The kids kept asking her questions or fighting with one another and the woman looked like she couldn't wait for naptime! When she was given her total, she went into her purse and let out an Oh no!!! She pulled out her empty wallet! Apparently one of the kids had gotten a hold of it and took all its contents out, license, cash everything. She looked about ready to cry. She was yelling at one child "I can't believe this...we have to go back home." and she was excusing herself to the cashier. The kids now started to complain and I looked at the cashier and told the woman wait. I paid for her order. The woman thanked me and asked for my address. I told her don't worry about it.
I like that you are doing a simple giveaway. :) Since I just spent the last few days driving to Ohio, I haven't been around many people. I do think I made my parents smile yesterday by coming to visit them and I cooked them dinner, even after a 10 hour drive. I also I always hold doors open for people when I go places. It's amazing how just something as simple as that shocks people and they are thankful. Very easy thing to do! Thanks for doing this, I think I need to also do some giveaways! :)
I have a friend whose daughter will be having surgery at the end of May. It is minor surgery, but as all moms know, it doesn't matter how minor when it is your baby. I have been trying to send her cards, let her know I am thinking of her and will be making meals close to the date of the surgery so she can spend more time with all her "babies'!!
I try and appreciate "gifts" that have been given to me, one of those I consider to be photography. I do make some money off some of my shoots, but I also try to give back when I can doing free headshots for friends, family photos, and christmas card photos! Everyone deserves family photos whether you can afford them or not! And thank you Rachel for being so wonderful and always a positive shining light!
Today I watched a pregnant friend's 16-month old so she could have some time to herself. She got a pedicure and a much-needed breather.
This act of kindness was from my son. We are teaching him how to share with others. We were at the table in the foodcourt at the mall and at the next table over was a mother and her 2 toddlers. My son reaches over with his pretzel bites saying "share, share"! It was so cute that everyone around smiled! And we met new friends!
Calming a complete strangers fears when she starts have a panic attack in public. She looked terrified.....no to mention embarrassed.
I have joined three different committees at my YMCA. I want to make a difference in the lives of others. They had some ignored bulletin boards and I went in one day, after purchasing some supplies, and prettied them all up! They were so thankful. It was something they just didn't have time to tackle and it was no sweat for me!
This is something I need to work on...as I love to do it but the busyness of life takes over. One thing I like to do is be nice when driving and let people in or turn in front of me. It's little, but I hope it makes them smile!
A little boy was standing in front of me at the library checking books out. He had a late fee for some books so I offered to pay the fine for him. Then he could check out his new books!
I do alterations and I did some fixed a friends jeans free of charge!
I ran a friends some home from soccer practive the other day. this was she could take her younger son home and put him to bed and not have to stay and chase him all over the field!
We live in military housing and put in a garden. Well we've had remove it (long story.......dumb rules) but we already had abounty of lettece. Tokk what we couldnt eat in the next few days to a local church food bank. Someone will have some yummy, organic greens for dinner tonight!
I cut the grass for my fiance. Giving him some time to relax = play his video game!! ;)
I took our dog to the vet for a routine check up, during rush hour!
I am only 17 years old, so I'm still in high school. (about to graduate--YIPPEE!) The way I spread my sunshine is by giving at least one compliment to a girl per day. You can tell that it really makes a difference, especially when someone has been having a not-so-great day. I always love it when I see a genuine smile come from someone's face from something I said!
I volunteer at a local organization who builds computers for low income families.
I help out at the free store.
So super duper divine of you to inspire, not require! Something small...but I bought an extra pack of diaper wipes and brought them into the gym for parents to use for those emergency situations when they seem to have forgotten or run out of diaper wipes. Ease the burden in those "Oh Crap!" moments (pun intended!) Hey, I've been there once or twice myself and was saved by a kind donor. :) Your blog is truly a spot of sunshine. Thanks so much for sharing it!
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