Simple Ways to Make Someone’s Day

People of all shapes and sizes deal with daily challenges and obstacles. And sometimes simple actions or words of genuine kindness, love, or compassion from a loved one can give someone just the boost they need to keep going and move forward. Here are simple, yet effective ways to instantly boost the mood of another.

1. Buy and deliver a snack or drink to a loved one. They’ll really appreciate it and you’ll feel good about it too. If you have some extra cash, it never hurts to spend a little bit of it to give back to someone who always treats you well and has your back.

2. Send a paragraph text message to a friend or family member letting them know how much you appreciate them and love them. If they’re struggling especially, they’ll be very gracious of the message and it will remind them that you always have their back. Sometimes when people are stuck in a rut, all they need are some simple words of encouragement.

3. Deliver flowers or have flowers delivered to a loved one. Again, if you have a few extra dollars, it’s never a bad idea to splurge a bit on beautiful (& personalized to their favorite) flowers for your significant other, friend, parent, sibling, cousin, teacher, or whoever you feel like deserves it.

4. Having a flexible and easygoing mindset with someone in general can make their day. Go with the flow. Be patient and flexible; don’t be stubborn or uptight. Take others’ suggestions, step outside your comfort zone if it means making someone else feel better, and let go of rigidity. Learn to let things go and be able to handle modifications. Other people involved will greatly appreciate it.

5. Compliment something unique and different. The same, bland “you look nice” or “I like your hair” could be changed to something like “you’re always beautiful, but even more so when you’re happy”. Something like that still maintains that they’re always beautiful, no matter what, but that when they’re happy, it’s another level of beauty. It will help them to realize their own beauty, and worthiness to feel happy.

6. Write a list of positive qualities about them and send it to them. Whether it’s a text you send instantly or a hand-written note that you hand or mail to them, it serves as a reminder for them about everything you love about them. They can keep it as a reminder of their own attributes to motivate them and boost their confidence.

7. Cook for whomever you live with. Make a fancy-ish home-cooked meal for whomever it is you live with and surprise them with it. This will most definitely make their day because for me, I never do that, so my family would definitely be pleasantly surprised. Allowing them to relax and just enjoy the meal is a simple yet profound mood booster.

8. Show up at a friend’s house with a gift or just the gift of your company. Especially if you know someone is having a bad day, simply show up at their house or workplace if they’re working, and just keep them company and talk to them. If they live with their parents and you know their parents, I would just text them ahead and tell them what your plan is so you don’t just show up unannounced and there’s something else going on. You can bring snacks, drinks, nail stuff, skincare products, and whatever else you need to make them feel comfortable, and to have fun.

Those are some of the most effective, simple acts of kindness that have gone a long way, in my experience. It’s also important to note that it’s crucial to have no expectation of receiving anything back. Your motive should be to be kind, to be caring, to be loving, and to show appreciation.