If you’re looking for ways to spread positivity, you’re in the right place.
The guide below features 33 ideas to help you shine a light on someone’s day.
As a certified life coach, I’m often tasked with helping my clients develop a more positive outlook. That’s why I’m excited to share this post with you.
So, let’s dive in!
What Does Spreading Positivity Mean?
Emotions are contagious. We humans can feel other people’s energy and begin to experience it in our own bodies. So, by performing positive actions, we can spread positivity throughout other people’s lives. Imagine what the world would look like if we all did this on a daily basis.
Why Is Spreading Positivity Important?
Life can be challenging and exhausting at the best of times. However, by picking up on other people’s positivity and sharing that with those around us, we can all contribute to make the world a happier place.
How Do You Spread Positivity? 33 Ideas
Here are 33 ideas to help you add some extra positivity to other people today.
1. Smile!
A smile is the universal sign of trust, happiness and friendship. Remember, emotions are contagious. That’s why they say: “Smile and the whole world smiles with you.”
2. Compliments
A simple compliment can make someone’s day. Put some thought into a unique and meaningful compliment and that person might never forget it!
3. Ask Someone How They’re Doing
When you look deep into someone’s eyes and ask ‘How Are You?’ with true sincerity, this can mean a lot. They’ll see it’s not a token gesture, but that you actually care how they’re getting on. Follow up with additional questions to prove that you do actually care.
4. Check In With A Buddy
Find the time to reach out to a buddy. This simple act of kindness is free and requires little effort, yet it’s a great way to show you care.
5. Encourage Someone
When the going gets tough, we all need a bit of support from people who believe in us. By encouraging someone to keep going, you can inspire them to continue taking positive steps in their life.
6. See The Bright Side
Every decision has a potential upside and a downside. It’s easy to look at the negative consequences of our own or other people’s decisions. But this is often driven by unnecessary fear. The world would generally be a better place if we all started to look on the bright side more frequently.
A mindset coach can help people tweak their attitude to look at things this way.
7. Stay Open-Minded
Our egos like to tell us we’re always right, and everyone else is wrong. However, this attitude is generally unhelpful. If we can find a way to be open-minded about other people’s decisions, it can help to spread positivity across the world.
8. Help Someone Out
You can make the world a slightly easier place just by holding the door open, helping an elderly woman across the road or helping to carry something heavy. These small gestures add up.
9. Express Sincere Gratitude
By expressing gratitude when someone helps us out, that person feels good about their deed and is hopefully inspired to continue being helpful. Thus, the cycle of positivity continues. Check out this list of daily gratitude exercises too.
10. Listen
It’s rare that someone truly listens to our problems. The majority of people are too caught up in their own stresses.
So, if you can take the time to actually listen and care about someone’s problems, the world becomes a more positive and caring place
11. Remember Small Details
Another small gesture, which can be tremendously uplifting to other people. Let’s say someone told you they had a big exam coming up in the next few days. Just by asking how they think they got on afterwards, this shows you were listening in that moment and actually care about them!
12. Put Things Into Perspective
Yes, negative things happen to everyone. But our minds do tend to exaggerate the impact of misfortune. By logically putting your problems – and those of your friends – into perspective, it can help create a more positive outlook in everyone’s heads.
13. Play Uplifting Music
Music can have a tremendous impact on our thoughts and feelings. In fact, the right song can completely transform our mood.
See for yourself by blasting some feel-good anthems in your headphones or personal sound system.
If you are going to blast music in public, go with something that’s universally loved, rather than a niche genre.
I’d recommend cheesy pop music or Disney songs! Even though a lot of people are embarrassed to admit it, this genre puts a smile on most faces.
14. Make A Positive Social Media Post
With social media, we have the ability to quickly broadcast a message to all our nearest and dearest.
So, instead of using solely as a self-promotional tool, how about occasionally making some posts to inspire your followers?
15. Leave A Nice Comment
Social media has made it easier than ever to send compliments to our friends. So, don’t hesitate to leave a nice comment if you see they’re up to something awesome. As with real life compliments, thoughtful and unique comments can really brighten someone’s day.
If someone is sharing their talent on social media, help them out by sharing their posts with your followers. It can be tough for small businesses and artists to get the exposure they desire, so you’ll find most people will be really grateful for the free marketing.
17. Buy A Thoughtful Gift
A gift doesn’t need to be expensive or glamorous to make a positive impact. In fact, any unexpected gift can really serve to brighten someone’s day.
18. Decorate The Public With Inspirational Messages
Tape a flyer to a lamppost. Write with some chalk on the pavement. Write it on dust on the dirty white van. Anything that’s simple to remove.
19. Tell A Joke
Laughter is the best medicine. So, try and spread it by sharing your favorite joke. Even the classics can make people laugh when told with the right energy.
20. Offer Free Hugs
Hug your friends goodbye instead of shaking hands.
Better yet, if you’re feeling brave, try the ‘Free Hugs’ comfort zone challenge.
This is a scientfically proven way to release feel-good hormones in others. In fact, body-to-body contact has also been shown to be great for mental health.
21. Volunteer
Lend a hand. Volunteering your time for a good cause is perhaps one of the most noble ways to spread positivity.
I’m sure there’s a charity shop, homeless shelter or old people’s home around your neighborhood that could do with an extra pair of hands.
22. Bake Some Cakes
There’s little that brightens up a dreary day at the office, more than a batch of homemade muffins! Don’t work with colleagues? Then prepare some treats for your friends and family instead.
23. Go First
Ever been at a party where you can tell everybody wants to let loose, but no-one does? Usually, they’re all waiting for that first person to sing, dance and have a good time.
So, why don’t you take the bold move to be that first person. Be the change you want to see in the world!
24. Write A Review
Did you recently enjoy an awesome meal at a local restaurant? Maybe you have a hairdresser who always does a great job, or there’s a small band whose album you really enjoy. Whatever it is you really like, share your thoughts by writing a review.
Music. Paintings. A funny YouTube video. Magic. Dance. We all enjoy these things and the positive messages that are shared within them.
So, believe in yourself and don’t be afraid to share your art with the world.
26. Tip Generously
A couple of extra coins can really encourage the professionals who work hard for their tips. This is especially true when you give tips to waiting staff, musicians, and artists whose income revolves heavily around donations.
27. Engage In Self-Love!
When you feel great about yourself, it becomes so much easier to share the love outwards! Check out this list of self-esteem exercises for inspiration.
28. Write An Appreciation Post On Social Media
Shout out to your best friend on social media for all the amazing things they do for you. It’s been a trend for a while to do this for friends on their birthdays, so how about you break the mould and spread the love on a random weekday?
29. Give Spare Items Away To Charity
We all have items that we used to like, but don’t need any more. So, instead of grinding away on eBay for a few extra bucks, how about you give these things away to your local charity shop for free?
This not only supports your local charity, it also gives someone the joy of shopping for a great item at a bargain price.
Do you know someone who has overcome the odds to reach incredible success? Don’t keep their story to yourself. Share that positivity with everyone you know – on social media and in real life. That way, they can be inspired too!
31. Be A Mentor!
If you’re already successful and talented, don’t be the Scrooge McDuck who keeps all his knowledge and resources to himself.
Find a positive and hungry upstart to mentor instead!
This opportunity could change their future forever. Plus, you’ll feel better for having an enthusiastic beginner around you.
32. Cheer Others On!
It’s good to get behind people’s passions indirectly, perhaps by asking how they’re getting on or sharing your support on Twitter. But how about you go one step further and cheer them on live?! Buy a ticket for their event, make a big sign and scream your lungs out for them!
There’s little that athletes and artists appreciate more than this.
33. Don’t Engage With Negativity
The best thing you can do to prevent the spread of negative energy is not to engage with it. This holds true online and in real life.
In real life, toxic energy feeds off more toxicity. If you have to respond in that moment, do so with an act of kindness.
Meanwhile, when someone clicks the link or comments on negative articles, the publisher sees that it’s popular, then has a motive to pump out more of the same.
So, try and give zero time to negative clickbait. Engage with positive media only. That’s the best way to let publishers know you only want to see positive things in your news feed.
Any More Questions?
I hope you were able to find something useful from this article!
If you found it uplifting, consider sharing it with your friends.
Have something to say about this article? Feel free to make a comment below.
I’d love to know what you think of this topic
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