Ways to Appreciate People and Say Thank You

There's no better feeling than when you're sitting in line at Starbucks or Dunkin and you get up to the window only to find out the person in front of you paid for your coffee. 

I just think that is the sweetest thing ever. Today that very thing happened to me and I was so thrown off. I think I was just caught off guard because it hasn't happened to me in a while but I kindly asked the gentleman working the window to pay for the person behind me in return. He immediately informed me that their bill was more expensive than mine but I didn't mind. I feel like you shouldn't offer to pay for someone if you are only willing to pay a certain amount. The guy in front of me didn't know that I ordered a coffee for myself and a coffee to bring home to my husband, he just wanted to do something nice and I admire that.

We so desperately need more people to be kinder. BE KIND. SMILE OFTEN. SAY HI. I always try to say hi to everyone I walk past or bump into. I've been working on that with Ellie. She's 1 and a half so sometimes she's shy but most of the time she is walking around saying hi to every single person at the restaurant we're having dinner at, or whoever we pass in the grocery store, or anyone we meet at the park. She is so friendly and outgoing and I do my best to always encourage that... I pray this never changes. 

There's just something about being personable that makes people want to be around you. I can't tell you how many people I've come in contact with who are NOT that. My parents always taught me and my sisters that it was ok to be shy sometimes but you're at least going to say hello. Everytime we are at a restaurant or anywhere in public, my dad always finds a friend. 

With everything going on in our communities, country, and world right now; there is no better time than now to start implementing ways to be a better person. This got me thinking about how me and my family can bless those around us. I think it's a simple task to offer to pay for someone's coffee behind you in the drive thru. It's a task that almost anyone can afford to do. I know when it happens to me, I instantly have a better day. I feel like someone cared enough about me to pay for my coffee even though they don't know who I am. I then always return the favor to brighten someone else's day. We all deserve to be happy.

So to help you all come up with some amazing ways to impact those around you, I have put together a list of ways to brighten someone's day. 

BUYING SOMEONE COFFEE 

~ Like I mentioned before, buying someone's coffee in the drive thru is such a great way to bless someone's day. If you're not an extrovert like me, then no worries. They don't know who you are and maybe it would encourage them to bless the person's day behind their car. 

TEACHER APPRECIATION GIFT BASKET

~ I can't even imagine what our teachers are going through right now in all this chaos. I would imagine they had to completely change how they would have normally taught their classes in the past. This week I saw a few bloggers/ influencers who put together these elaborate gifts together for their kids' teachers. You don't have to go through all of that. You could easily put a Dunkin gift card, hand lotion, facemask and gum in a gift bag and call it a day. Just something to say you're thinking about them and you're glad they have a special heart to teach kids all day! (Teaching is definitely not my cup of tea.)

BRIGHT BOX

~ I came across this adorable site called Bright Box. They start at $5 and you can customize them however you would like. They are an affordable way to show someone you are thinking about them. They also have free shipping in the U.S. For $5 you can choose a confetti card and piece for candy. For about $15 you can get a box already curated for a specific occasion or you can customize your own! 

So today I challenge you to go out and make a difference in this world. Each one of us needs to be the change.