I bet you didn’t know Feb. 16 was the start of Random Acts of Kindness Week. Yeah, we didn’t either, until just now, but we love the message and want to embrace the attitude with full force. According to research, Random Acts of Kindness make you happier, healthier, and more energetic, not to mention these acts make someone else’s day. 

There are lots of great ideas to be kind out there. However, we encourage you to try these great ideas inspired by  BigSpeak Speakers. Take a play out of their books and join the love train. 

Empower others. 

BigSpeak keynote speaker and social justice warrior Barb Stegemann has made our ever-expanding globe a small world with her line of Peace Perfumes through her company The 7 Virtues. After seeing the challenges farmers in Afghanistan faced, Stegemann crafted a line of perfumes, sourcing all ingredients from farmers trying to rebuild their economy in a war-torn country. 

When you purchase one of her Peace Perfumes, you empower farmers to rebuild their local economies. Whether you want to try out a new and unique scent or just gain inspiration from Stegemann’s story, we hope you feel the joy of empowering others.

Call your mom. It’s good for you.

Call your mom. It’s easy to say you’ll do it later; even easier to forget. Calling a family member or close friend is a random act of kindness that gives back to you. Happiness expert and Harvard researcher Robert Waldinger, says fostering a close network of family and friends is the key to longterm health and happiness. He would know. His conclusions come from more than 75 years of data on what gives someone the happiest life. 

While work can be demanding (and making sure you have enough time to listen to your favorite podcast on the way to work can be tempting), making time to call your mom (or another loved one) will put you on the most direct path to happiness. It’ll make your Mom’s day too.

Spread positivity. 

Emotional intelligence speaker Shawn Achor, another Harvard happiness expert, suggests spreading positivity. He says one of the nicest things you can do for someone is believe in them.

As a random act of kindness, share a positive sentiment with someone. This can be done in any way at any time, whether it’s holding the door for someone to subtly send a message they are wanted in that space, sending a thank you note, or simply telling a friend or stranger something you like about them.

When positivity is infused into an individual, a team, or an entire company, monumental change can be achieved. 

Turn an empathetic cheek. 

In a similar vein, sometimes the kindest act you can perform is to understand someone. Someone might just need you to listen and not judge. Or it might be seeing an event from another person’s perspective.

Emotional intelligence experts Dr. JP Pawliw-Fry and Bill Benjamin believe empathy is the best way to create individuals, teams, and companies with a healthier culture. When you see things from another person’s point of view, you make the other person happier, form a stronger relationship, and open yourself up to a new world of possibilities. 

During this Random Act of Kindness week, we hope you try one of these acts on for size, or get inspired to spread kindness in other ways.

Jessica Welch is a freelance writer, holding a Bachelor’s Degree in English Literature and Anthropology from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo. Her business thought articles often appear on Business 2 Community, Born 2 Invest, and YF Entrepreneurs.