Simple Acts of Kindness: 500+ Ways to Make a Difference

by Adams Media

Practice kindness every day with these easy, accessible activities that range from helping the elderly to supporting animal welfare to protecting the local environment.

In Simple Acts of Kindness , you’ll discover many ways to bring help and happiness to those around you,

-Calling your elderly relatives just to say hello
-Bringing a box of doughnuts to the office to share with your coworkers
-Thanking your driver as you get off the bus

These simple activities make it easy to be kinder every day and provide support to those who need it most. With this book in hand, you can easily make a positive difference in today’s society.

Genres: Nonfiction, Self Help

208 pages, Hardcover

Published October 17, 2017

Reviews

[Sherry · Rating 3 out of 5]

Three stars might be a bit generous...too many of the suggestions were monetary (donate to a certain cause, coordinate a charity event, etc). I was hoping for more every day ideas that didn't cost money (or very little).

[Sarah · Rating 1 out of 5]

Who wrote this nonsense? Look, I get it: do good to make the world a better place. And I agree with that, of course. But I don't support Autism Speaks (which views autism as a disease needing a cure, rather than the difference in brain function that it is), calling undocumented immigrants "illegal aliens" and casting women as always being the ones to receive assistance, and the men as the ones who gave assistance (multiple examples of a friend struggling in the workplace using the pronoun "she," while friends who offered or procured assistance in the workplace get the pronoun "he"). There is a lot to be said about suggestions for how to be kind, but there's more to say about actually being kind and egalitarian in those suggestions.

[Leah · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is rife with redundancies and contradictions. It suggests researching good charities, but then it lists charities you should definitely not support as good examples. There was one idea where it says to buy your child a toy "for no reason" and then in the same sentence, tell them you'll only do it if they donate an old one of theirs. (definitely not kind to your kid) I couldn't help but think while I was reading this that it seems like a compilation of those little quotes in the margins of planners distributed to students by schools. I feel like the vast majority of the suggestions in this book are things that most people already do, like feeding and walking their pets. (an actual suggestion, several times at that)

The main gist of this book is to donate items you no longer use, help carry stuff, donate your time, donate your money, help the elderly, help new mothers (not fathers though? what the heck?) feed and walk your pet, sell lemonade, invite friends over for food and charge them for it, donate, donate, donate....

Be kind to yourself by not reading this book.

[Sommer · Rating 1 out of 5]

Should be called "500 garbage places to donate your money while the author quickly offends you in various ways and grossly overuses the word KINDNESS"

Please do not waste a dime on this one. Fortunately for me, I got this from the library, and it'll be going back immediately.

Don't bother checking it out though.

[Kumaila Hakimah · Rating 1 out of 5]

My expectation was i will find new yet creative ideas to do good and be kind, but mostly they are common acts and ask donation too many times to particular charity.

[Orkhiroz]

DNF di halaman 60.

Rata-rata isinya sudah dilakukan kebanyakan orang dalam kehidupan sehari-hari, baik disadari maupun enggak, termasuk tutorial dalam melakukan sesuatu. Buku ini mungkin lebih cocok untuk pembaca yang cenderung tidak tahu-menahu atau canggung dalam bersosialisasi, bingung soal orang biasanya melakukan kebaikan apa saja kepada orang lain.

Ide-idenya cocok dimasukkan dalam daftar resolusi tahun depan, kira-kira perangai baik macam apa yang belum pernah dilakukan sebelumnya dan ingin coba dilakukan di masa mendatang. Lalu, bisa dijadikan sebagai motivasi untuk mengingat kembali hal-hal yang pernah dilakukan, tapi jarang karena lupa.

Menurutku, ada yang lebih cocok jika disebut dengan aktivitas kreatif nan bermakna daripada langkah simpel perbuatan baik. Ya, walaupun pada akhirnya bisa berarti untuk kebaikan orang lain, sih. Kegiatan itu enggak tersedia di sekitarku dan aku juga enggak cukup tertarik untuk memulainya. Meskipun lumayan sulit dilakukan di kondisi lingkungan individualis masa kini, namun itu bisa jadi ide bagus bagi pengurus organisasi setempat untuk membuat proposal kegiatan.

Ada juga tips pemberian bantuan terkait krisis yang terjadi di manca negara dan cara membantu mereka melalui website masing-masing. Namun, lama-kelamaan aku bosan sendiri karena disuruh donasi terus. Lalu, tiap website pasti ada beberapa tahapan yang pastinya cukup ribet. Tapi, untuk orang yang suka bersosialisasi dan menjadi relawan, mungkin dia bakal lebih menikmati proses ini.

Kalimat-kalimatnya berbentuk kalimat perintah yang seperti disodorkan langsung ke muka pembaca dan seakan harus dilaksanakan. Berhubung keuangan, waktu, dan kemampuanku terbatas, rasanya aku jadi merasa bersalah enggak bisa mengorbankan diri demi membahagiakan orang lain. Selain itu, aku enggak setuju dengan beberapa pandangan penulis yang berbeda denganku.

Desain bukunya sangat cantik, simpel, elegan, dan berwarna-warni. Inilah tiga quotes favoritku.

Halaman 7:
Clean up your language. It's easy to fall into the habit of using profanity, and it sounds anything but kind to those around you.

Halaman 37:
Protest injustice wherever and whenever you see it. Get involved in stopping it. If you believe that all humans possess a disposition toward compassion and a sense of the interconnectedness of us all, then fight for equal justice for everyone.

Halaman 40:
Fight hate with kindness.

[Elsa · Rating 2 out of 5]

The title reads simple acts of kindness to make a difference, but some are not that simple.

For example, the book is rife with tips to donate to charities and noble ideas that are rather time consuming.

I read the ebook via my local library. I liked the fact I could click the links in the ebook to quickly visit and get to know all the charities I’m not donating to.

Though the book did inspire me to be kinder, sometimes I felt overwhelmed; why am I not doing more I.e by donating money, things and time. I must be a terrible person!

There were good ones I liked: make a wedding album for a recently married friend, give your postman/ woman a hot drink and help travelling by plane parents with little kids.

Some were super obvious like take care of yourself when pregnant and wear your seatbelt, and the occasional odd one like anonymously send a friend $20.

Overall, this book may lead you to being happier/kinder, but probably poorer, as it leaves you parting with lots of money.

[Asiuol K · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book mainly focuses on donating money and time, as well as looking out for others. It is a nice refresher as to how to be kind, and I will hopefully use a few of these tips. However, a lot of it is basic, but sometimes people need to be reminded of how to be a decent person. It is also beautifully designed, so I had to give it an extra star for that.

[Karine · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book felt overly repetitive in it's message to be kind. It was just too in your face; some items were just common sense and others came across as judgemental. Wouldn't waste my time with this if I was you.

[Elizabeth Marie · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s not like the content was bad, but it just felt very agenda-biased as well as just lacking actually unique ways to be kind. I felt like I was reading a list of all the non-profits who paid to be in here

[Savitri · Rating 2 out of 5]

Quiet good on giving us inspiration for doing good deeds but not comprehensive enough, since the example is not that much.

[M Mcquaid · Rating 2 out of 5]

Most of the suggestions in this book are things I already do.