Over the past weeks we have been very focused on loving ourselves. And I am so happy with how much you guys resonate with my posts, how much you interact with them and all of your sweet messages. And one of them I liked especially: How to share love e.g. what little acts of kindness you can do to make the days of strangers or your loved ones a little nicer. I think that while we should start with ourselves, helping others and spreading love is obviously the main goal. Little acts of kindness can brighten someone´s day so intensely and usually do not cost you much. I also included some ways to spread some distance love as I know how many of us are in long distance relationships and friendships and being there for someone from afar can feel really hard.

Pay for someone´s coffee/food

This is especially easy in a drive-thru since you can simply ask for the order behind you and just pay that one as well. However it also works in coffee shops, at the bar or in self-serve restaurants. You could even do this in supermarkets if you feel especially generous or know someone is struggling to make ends meet. Obviously this also goes for inviting friends and even your parents from time to time. I am not saying you have to spend money, but it is a very nice gesture.

Give strangers a compliment

I have continuously mad an effort to do this. Especially in Germany we continously run past each other in a hurry, never really interact with strangers and if we do, we usually only have negative things to say. I think a genuine compliment or smile can make any person´s day. Here in Australia so many people have started talking to me in the most genuinely nice and interested way and I have enjoyed these conversations so much. It is really something I want to keep doing once I get home.

Get take out for someone who is stressed

We all know friends, who go for a hard time, sit at home studying or just went through a break up. Sometimes you cannot be there physically for them and have a girl´s talk over some pizza, but you can do the second best thing: Order them some really good food online. There has never been a day, where I would have not appreciated some take out and it is so easy especially today with deliveroo, Uber Eats or foodora. Bonus points if you know their favourite food and get that for them.

Write letters for certain occasions

In long distance friendships and relationships you can´t always be there for them, where you want to. However you can send them some words of encouragement. Obviously getting a letter in the mail is always amazing so that is a great way. What I have done before though is to write a bunch of letters for certain situations (When you miss me, When you feel lonely, When you have a tough day...) and gave them all to my boyfriend as a gift. So whenever they go through a tough time, they have these letters to fall back on even if you cannot be there.

Make a jar full of happy thoughts

Yet another long distance one, but I hope you don´t mind. This is also great for anniversaries, a certain time spend abroad or just as a little gift: write down little notes with happy memories, reasons why you love them, inside jokes or future plans and put them all in a nice jar. Now they can open one of these notes every day for a little pick me up and have something nice to fall back on whenever they feel blue. 

Leave your favourite book in a café/park bench/restaurant

I love nothing more than new books, especially ones that are free. Pick your favourite, maybe stick a little note on top or write it into the book and just leave it for someone to find. 

Plan a surprise date

Whether you surprise your bestie with a bottle of wine, some chips and her favourite chocolate to binge watch trash TV or take your boo out to a fancy dinner, we all too often forget how important quality time is, tend to cancel dates or prioritise other things. It is so important to spend actual quality times with the ones you love instead of sitting next to each other, staring at your phones screens. So maybe actually plan something nice and surprise them. It is so easy to get stuck in a rut.