Wellbeing

50 Small Ways to Help Make the World a Better Place

person holding world globe facing mountain

Here are 50 small ways you can help make the world a better place. This is not an exhaustive list, but it highlights some ideas that everyone can take part in.

Just think about it.

If we all did one small thing now and then, such as making a change, doing something to make a difference or a random act of kindness, imagine the impact we could have on the world!

Small changes. Daily moments of kindness. LITTLE things

They matter

Once I made a change and started focussing on the small things I could do on any given day to help make the world a better place, my life and my mental health started to improve too.

50 Small Ways You Can Help Make the World a Better Place

  1. Reuse, recycle and donate
  2. Write someone a thank you note (it could even be anonymous!)
  3. Tell someone they did a good job. Better yet, tell their boss!
  4. Give up your seat to someone on the bus or train
  5. Step through life with honesty and integrity
  6. Adopt a rescue pet
  7. Pass along your knowledge by mentoring someone
  8. Decrease your environmental footprint
  9. Do what you love. That alone will inspire others
  10. Spend ‘unplugged’ time with your kids. Give them 100% of your attention
  11. Start a worm farm at home – it’s amazing how many different types of things worms can eat, with the byproducts going back into your garden to feed your plants!
  12. Forgive
  13. Sprinkle kindness like it’s confetti
  14. Donate blood or plasma
  15. Have fun. There’s way too much seriousness in the world, and by you leading the way, others might just have fun too!
  16. Tell the people you love how much they mean to you
  17. Don’t litter
  18. Support your local arts and music scene – get out to see some live bands or musos perform
  19. Listen without passing judgement
  20. Read and share positive stories, stories of hope, resilience and love
  21. Instead of driving, walk, ride or catch the bus
  22. Focus on the positive
  23. Don’t listen to, or participate in, gossip (on or offline)
  24. Grow your own fruit and vegetables
  25. Give gifts without the expectation of anything in return
  26. Cook someone a hearty meal, either in person or leave it on their doorstep
  27. Be a responsible pet owner. Keep your cat inside at night
  28. Create. Paint, sculpt, draw, knit, write a poem, or produce a song
  29. Say thank you
  30. Don’t judge others. Remember, you have no idea what is going on in someone’s life until you have walked in their shoes
  31. Express gratitude often. I like to make gratitude a habit!
  32. Share your knowledge with someone
  33. Smile and say hello to everyone you pass on the street
  34. Volunteer
  35. Ditch fast fashion and embrace the slow fashion movement
  36. Compost
  37. Send people Birthday and Christmas cards in the snail mail
  38. Drive patiently. It’s not a race. And put away your phone. You don’t need it when you drive!
  39. Give an elderly person some of your time – sit, talk, listen
  40. Please pick up your dog’s poop (my personal pet peeve!)
  41. Create a bee and bird-friendly garden
  42. Be more considerate of others
  43. Pay it forward. i.e. Pay for the coffee of the person behind you in the queue
  44. Travel respectfully
  45. Don’t buy trashy magazines or click on click-bait headlines
  46. Help someone carry their shopping bags to their car
  47. Research and get involved in sustainability programs in your local neighbourhood. If there aren’t any, start your own!
  48. Learn about other cultures, faiths, ideas, languages, people, history
  49. Treat everyone the way you would like to be treated. All of the time
  50. Ask someone how they are and mean it. Give them your full attention when they respond – practice active listening.

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50 Small Ways to Help Make the World a Better Place