50 Small Ways to Give That Will Make You Happy

50 ways to give? Really? Will it work, will it make me happier? Research has been clear. Giving makes you happy. You don’t have to be Bill Gates and give away a fortune to find your personal happiness. You just have to give in small ways that will ignite the part of your brain that makes you feel good. If there was a happiness pill it would be filled with all these giving ideas to keep you happy every day.

Favourite Small Ways to Give That Make You Feel Happy

1. Pick up garbage in your neighbourhood for the planet and your community.

2. Skip buying a plastic water bottle. Refill a reusable bottle. Every minute 1500 plastic bottles pollute our planet.

3. Buy the next person in line a coffee at your favourite coffee house.

4. Write a note of gratitude to a person you that has impacted your life.

5. Sign a petition on a subject you feel passionate about and use your voice to create change. Search these online petitions for something you care about.

6. Cut you neighbours lawn as a special surprise.

7. De-clutter your house and donate the items for good.

8. Buy a homeless person lunch.

9. Make cookies and bring them to your local Fire Station and say thank you for all they do every day.

10. Happiness Notes: Write 10 kind things on separate post it notes. Post them in locations where others will get a pleasant surprise.  (school, office, community centre)

11. Go to your local animal shelter and spend time with the animals that need a home.

12. Offer to walk your neighbours dog.

13. Help an elder person with their groceries to their car or into their home.

14. Plant an edible garden in the spring.

15. Create an environmental art project with your kids from items you found outside rather than buying items in a store.

16. Bring your bags to the grocery store – every time.

17. Play the Free Rice Game and donate rice to global communities.

18. Be Straw Free. Try not to use straws or take them home and reuse them to avoid the environmental waist.

19. Put the car away and walk, ride your bike or take public transit.

20. Commit to smiling at every stranger you pass today.

21. Volunteer. Find a local charity you believe in and help in any way you can. Even a few hours makes a big difference for a not for profit organization.

22. Collect your old books you no longer read and donate them to your local library or second hand store.  

23. Click to Give. No time to give here are 3 sites that in just a click you have completed a give.

24. Have a Meatless Monday and go vegan for a day.

25. Turn off the lights, unplug your electronics, and keep you shower to 2 minutes. Easy way to help the planet every day.

26. Take your recycling to a local recycling depot and donate the money to your favourite charity.

27. Spread the Word. Share #socialgood stories via your favourite social media outlets to inspire others to #giveback

28. Teach your children how they can give back to the world.

29. Make a bird feeder for the winter months and a bird bath for the hot summer days.

30. Make a loan to Kiva and watch your money change the world. You get to reinvest your money again and again to help others.

31. Make dog biscuits for your local animal shelter.

32. Plant a tree.

33. Donate 50 cents and a book goes to a child in Africa. Books For Africa

34. Visit a local seniors home and listen to people’s stories.

35. Give someone a hug.

36. Take a walk with a friend today and catch up. Spending time, face to face, is important.

37. Send a local business a note of thanks for what they do.

38. Make a $5 donation, anywhere to any cause.

39. Bring an extra lunch to work, to school, and give it to someone who does not have a lunch or forgot their lunch.

40. Turn off the tap when brushing your teeth. Saving water helps the planet.

41. Babysit for someone today. Babysit their children for an hour, or take in their dog for an hour. An hour break can make the world of difference for someone.

42. Hold the door open for people today.

43. Leave a letter for the postal worker that delivers the mail. Thank them for what they do.

44. Get together with your friends and have a toy drive, a book drive, or a clothing drive. Donate the items to a local shelter.

45. Buy your next item of clothing at a second hand store.

46. Make a donation to charity for a friends birthday. Dont give presents, make a difference.

47. Have a pot luck dinner with friends. The money you saved not going out for dinner, donate it to charity.

48. Do a one hour lemonade stand and give the lemonade away for free.

49. Take a cake down to your local police station to say thank you.

50. Donate a pair of old glasses to a global charity.

Do you have a give you love to do? This is just a list of 50 gives but there are so many more that you can do. Your community will present gives you can do every day, if you just watch out for them. Join the 365give Challenge and start recording the gives you do every day. Show your global impact and inspire others!