I sent out two more postcards this week both to people I know. It has been nice to send postcards to people. I hope they are received in good spirits.

I also stumbled upon a great way to be charitable AND to read at the same time. You can read more about that at BeNonsensical. And I joined another nice cause over at itstartswithus.com where I joined the ‘Drop a Love Bomb‘ mission. They send me an email each week with a story about a blogger, a person who needs some encouragement. And then I follow the link and leave a comment or message. I’ve done two so far. I think it is an excellent way to drop in on someone when they need it the most! =)

It is fun being nice. =)

I owe an apology to someone I care a lot about. I am often so inside my own head I do not realize how my retreat within, my withdrawal from the everyday affects others. I recently avoided someone when they needed me, not because they needed me and not really on purpose but more because I was in my own head and trying to avoid the world. No matter my reason, I hurt someone. So, what better time than NOW to send a postcard with a simple apology and words expressing how important this person is to me? That is what I did this morning. Good Morning.

For the record, I am sorry. And love is fade resistant, no matter how far I go, no matter how long I am silent.

All Smiles, originally uploaded by optikal..

The newest nice assigment is to smile more. I am a fairly smiley person already so this will be easy and fun. I generally try to smile at everyone all the time. But I will pay attention and try to smile more. I will also encourage others to smile as well.

And for another nice update,

I finished the living eulogy. I wrote it for my dear friend E. and gave it to her when I was finished. She loved it.

I think I will write more for others but I will take a different, slightly more positive direction. I think I will write like I am nominating [said person] as Man or Woman of the Decade. And then talk about why… that might be a more positive version of this ‘nice’ assignment. Eulogies seem creepy. And in some cultures it is bad luck to write a eulogy or obituary for someone who is not dead. It is like putting a curse on them. Wouldn’t want to do that! Particularly not with people I care about… well, no one really but you know what I mean!

Better be safe than sorry!

This leaves only new and ongoing nice challenges. I continue to make nice drops. The other day when we were getting coffee, we paid for the person behind us and left a nice note. It is fun!! This Tuesday I’ll be making a handmade valentine! How much fun will that be?

Want to join me in my quest to be nicer?
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I sent off my first postcard to a family or friend today… in my nice journey. =) I am excited to hear from the person I sent it to. It has been too long!

So! I took this nice project by the reins and went to full speed ahead on my journey! I sent out my first postcard to a stranger and then we did a nice-note-a-palooza. Three of us wrote out some random notes and then deposited them throughout the town. Seven random notes and the best part… a little girl joined in with us and she was so excited to be part of being nice! =)

I happened upon a most wonderful site the other day, Operation NICE. Allow the lovely lady who started it tell you in her own words (from the website) what it is about,

Don’t you love it when people go out of their way to be nice? Like when someone waits to hold the door for you. Or when a stranger waves you into a line a traffic. Or even when a coworker shoots you a friendly smile along with a “have a nice day.” If everyone was a little bit nicer to the folks they encountered each day, perhaps the world would be a more pleasant place. Operation NICE was initiated to remind you that a little NICE goes a long way.

And so a movement was born…a journey to be nice and proactively spread the niceness. I am jumping in head first! I am already a fairly nice person. I compliment good service. I write thank you notes. I try to be thoughtful mostly. However, I am ready to begin a journey into new depths of niceness.

Most every week for the past few years the nice lady who runs Operation Nice has given out nice assignments for others to complete. Having just found the site I feel a little jealous I have missed out on all these nice opportunities to be super-duper nice and make another person’s day a little bit better. And so! I have decided I will do some of the past assignments as well as trying to do the new ones that she conjures up! It will be fun, fun indeed. These are the past nice assignments I have decided upon:

• Mail a card to a random stranger (picked from the telephone book). I will do this once a month, every 3rd Thursday a month, I already sent the first one yesterday to a lady in Illinois! The whitepages.com insists you put in a last name so I chose a random word close to my heart, ‘book’. =) Fun!  (Ongoing)
• Hand make valentines and give them to those you care about. I had a head start on this one as I did this for Valentine’s Day. But why stop on that day? I will handmake one valentine every month to send to someone I care about–on the 2nd Tuesday of every month. (Ongoing)
• I love list for each month, write a list or do a doodle composition of what you love about the current month… or as I will do it the upcoming month. I will post my What I love about this month picture or list on the 1st of every month. (Ongoing)
• Write a living eulogy — I will give this some thought and get back to you soon… I might even post it. If not, I will post about it. (Finished on August 6th)
• Send a postcard to family and/or friends on a regular basis. I will choose some nifty postcards and send one a week to a different person until I recycle through everyone and then begin again. (Ongoing)
• Make a I Love list, a positive way of articulating goals or just being grateful. I will make one soon… and periodically make new ones… this one will be fun! (Finished on July 30th)
• Nice bombs, on the Operation Nice website she provides cards you can print out that say Nice Note and a space for you to write in your own message. She even attaches little gifts with them! How nice!!! I will write some out and sometimes add little gifts… and leave them places, taking photos of the places I leave them to share with everyone. (Ongoing)

Oh! I am excited to get all crazy random nice! How fun! I will keep you up to date on my journey to the inner depths of niceness. In the meantime why not start your own little nice things to do and tell me about it and tell Melissa from Operation Nice about it too! And a big fat thank you to you Melissa for inspiring me to be even nicer.

Updated last (August 25th).

A hand drawn message drawn for me a long time ago, I keep it near my computer and I know I am always loved!

I think it is important to love without abandon, to say what you think but make sure you really think it first. Laugh often, even at yourself but be kind and forgiving with everyone including yourself. Write notes to those around you. Texts. Leave voicemails. Write a note by hand on a shred of paper or on 32 pages front and back… and mail it even if you live in the same house. Everyone loves to get mail that isn’t a bill. Give yourself a pep talk. Use affirmations that are fun. Be nice, go the extra mile. This world needs a little extra dose of love and friendliness.

And yet another wonderful response to the Be Thoughtful list… here is part 4 (from the Madhattress)…

1. Read a book to a friend (little or your age)
2. buy flowers for someone
3. note good behaviors
4. leave notes of encouragement in random places
5. be there to listen
6. vocalize friends strengths
7. hug a friend even if you don’t like hugs
8. go to the movies in the middle of a random day with a friend
9. paint someone a picture
10. register to vote with someone
11. sing out loud
12. play games
13. get active in something you care about
14. eat healthier with a friend/family member
15. be there to listen to venting
16. let emotions happen (your own or others)
17. dance around together
18. clean up our planet with a friend
19. smile at a stranger (not all strangers thought)
20. plant a garden
21. take an unplanned driving trip
22. write someone a card (for no special reason)
23. give change to those who ask
24. be active in the progression of your friends lives
25. laugh. laugh. laugh.

Wonderful! Thanks again!

You can read part 1 here, part 2 here and part 3 here.

This is a response to my original post of 100 random acts of kindness…encouraging everyone to be thoughtful. Read the original post here. 

This is Persnickety’s list… yes, there may be overlapping ideas but that is ok … please, send us more!

Pack someone lunch, or a snack, to take with them.
Slip a note in someone’s lunch telling them 5 reasons you like them.
Tell someone you appreciate them, just because they are who they are.
When someone asks for spare change, give it to them.
Give more than your spare change when you are able.
Bake cookies for someone.
Bring homemade treats to work.
Buy a $5 gift card to give the person in line behind you, or more if you can.
Buy coffee for the person in line behind you.
Bring home fresh flowers, and some for a neighbor or friend.
Leave sticky notes around for your loved ones, tell them you love them, appreciate them, and enjoy their company.
Take groceries to someone’s house to make them dinner.
DO the dishes after having dinner at a friends house.
Take a care basket to a sick friend, soup, herbal tea, cough drops and Kleenex.
Leave change in the candy/vending machine at the store, for the next child that comes along.
Write a letter to someone you know and mail it to them.
Give away coupons you are not using to people in the store.
Bring a child balloons, just for fun.
Donate your magazines and books to a retirement home or nursing facility.
Bring someone something you know they like, just because you thought of them today – a favorite drink, dessert, flowers.
Hug your family when you come in the door.
Let people do nice things for you too, and just say “thank you”.
Do someone else’s chores for them.
Wake up a little early, and make breakfast for your family, even if you have to pack it for them to eat on the go.
Smile at people, acknowledge them.
Pay someone’s bus fare.
When you have a positive customer service experience, be sure to tell their boss. If you are in a hurry, take their name and call later.
In the parking lot, offer to take someone’s cart back for them.
Offer to help someone load or unload their groceries.
Say hello to your neighbor.
Read to someone, a child, a friend.
When you think of an old friend, call them to say hello.
Send someone a “thinking of you” card.
Send thank you notes.
Volunteer – even an hour or two a month.
Ask someone you know to go for a walk.
Play a game with your family.
Bring home sparkling cider to celebrate your family.
Mail coupons to someone for something you know they buy, or somewhere you know they shop.
Ask a friend or coworker to lunch.
Make time to help people when they ask.
Ask someone about their day, strike up a conversation, and listen.
Remember the last nice thing someone did for you – now do that for someone else.
Offer to do someone’s grocery shopping for them.
Offer to run an errand for someone, to give them some freed up time.
Mail postcards when you go on vacation.
Mail postcards from your hometown to people far away.
Give someone a neck and shoulder massage.
Take popsicles to your childs class on a hot day.
Tip really well, and write “THANK YOU” on the receipt.

Read part 1 here (the original post). Read part 3 here (the 2nd response). Read part 4 here (the 3rd response).

I am officially trying to spread thoughtfulness, if it only it were as catchy as bad moods or the flu… let’s see what we can do to make that happen, shall we? Here is a list of 100 random things we can do to be thoughtful:

1. Give someone flowers, anyone, strangers or someone you care about… near or far… pick them up at the grocery store, the florist, your garden or FTD them to a long-distance friend
2. Write an unexpected letter for no other reason than to say hello and ask someone how they are doing
3. Ask questions and listen, really listen, to the answers
4. Participate in StoryCorps even if it unofficially done at your own home with a $7 microphone on your computer or tape player. (Ask a friend or family member to join you!)
5. Offer to do the dishes when everyone is tired
6. Pick up trash in your neighbor’s yard or in your apartment courtyard
7. Help someone with their groceries
8. Clean up after yourself
9. Fold the laundry
10. Ask if anyone else would like anything while you are up or out
11. Order or bring enough lunch for two and share
12. Make a lunch and bring it to leave in the fridge at work with “THIS LUNCH WAS MADE FOR ANYONE WHO IS HUNGRY — ENJOY” (add a nice quote or note inside!)
13. When making a sandwich for someone, cut it into fun shapes, even if they are 92 years old, they will love it
14. Offer to run errands for a sick or elderly family member or just someone who is super busy
15. Paint a picture for a friend

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