Guerrilla Goodness

Thanks for reading my Substack. After you read this post and accept the challenge, I’d love to hear your experience of how you felt and if anything shifted in your relationships. Please click the link at the end to share your experience with me and others.

Do you remember the bumper stickers and cards, “Random Acts of Kindness,” that were popular in the 1990s?

It began as a response to random acts of violence seen in the media.

A writer, Anne Herbert, wanted to create change in people’s minds, so she came up with and popularized the phrase: Random acts of kindness and senseless acts of beauty.

The message challenged people to look for opportunities to help rather than simply reacting to negativity. The phrase spread rapidly through bumper stickers, notes, cards, books, schools, churches, and workplaces.

I loved it!

What started as a slogan evolved into a grassroots movement. People began: Paying for strangers’ meals, feeding parking meters, leaving encouraging notes, helping elderly neighbors, secretly paying bills, volunteering anonymously, and so much more.

While these types of activities have been around for a millennium, they seemed to have boosted a movement into the masses, engendering a wide range of energy shifts.

Many participants called it “guerrilla goodness,” doing good simply because it was good.

The stickers acted as reminders. Seeing one on a car or notebook often prompted people to think:

“Maybe I should do something nice today.”

Researchers today call this “prosocial contagion,” witnessing kindness makes others more likely to be kind themselves. The movement helped normalize the idea of paying kindness forward.

Anne Herbert started the Random Acts movement because of so much violence. Why can’t we revive it to some degree because of our chaotic world right now? We all know it’s complete insanity filled with anger, hate and self-centeredness. Why not see if we can do our small part? It’ll help someone else feel good — and even better, it’ll make us feel good too.

Most of you reading this probably already have a temperament of kindness and do this to some degree already. However, we get busy — and forget. Right? We’re doing everything we can to keep our heads above water as is. We can’t take on one more thing, you might say. It’s ok. We can do what we can. This is to be a reminder if nothing else.

This is your call to action to remind you to say or do something nice for others, to make them feel valued, uplifted and loved. It’s as easy as making one statement, such as, “You have a beautiful spirit,” or “You’re a great father.”

Begin today with your spouse, child, co-worker, friend, or sibling. I’ve created a list below for you to reference. It’s a great list.

If someone comes to your mind out of the blue, call them or text them. It doesn’t have to be anything special. Just a quick text and note of, “hey, you came to my mind, so I wanted to say hi and let you know I’m thinking about you and hoping all is good.” Especially if it’s someone you haven’t talked to in ages. Send them a quick note.

You can also just send a text to a friend with one of the statements below, like, “I was thinking about you and thought about how you bring out the best in people.”

Texting is a great way to send a quick and easy note. When someone I haven’t talked to for a while pops into my head, I send them a quick note right away, before I forget to. I take that as a message from the angels that they might need a little note of encouragement. I never really know, but that’s just my thing.

If someone you know has just lost a loved one or is going through a rough time, show them some kindness. Sure, you may have already said something to them, given your statement of condolences, etc., but are you supporting them? Here’s where texting is great. You can simply send them a prayer or heart emoji and say, “Thinking about you.” Or, “hope you have a pleasant day.” And I don’t mean only once. But periodically. Some may need it more than others. If you don’t know (because you may not want to overdo it) ask them. Say, “Hey, I want to support you, but I also don’t want to overdo it.”

I recently went through a pretty tough time — and there were a few people who reached out to me via text like this. I can’t tell you how much of a positive impact it had on me. It was HUGE!! It was a time I needed lots of “love,” and a little text was so nice. In a weird way, it kind of showed me who my real friends were and weren’t, if you know what I mean.

And those who sent texts really showed me their character. That’s something else to think about. The people who do these types of things really show character in a big way. And it’s such a simple and easy thing to do.

Notes and cards are another great way to show random acts of kindness. You can use blank note cards or sticky notes, or just ripped-up paper. What matters is the intent and content itself.

A friend of mine and her daughter have handmade these awesome note cards that I bought to send people notes. And believe me. The recipients LOVED THEM. It was a simple note of their kindness, support, and wonderful character.

If doing this sounds like a good idea, you can begin by doing one or all of the three tasks below.

First, begin to think about what you can say to people.

Then think about what you can write down, such as a note or card.

Then, think of ways you might be able to publicize, such as with a bumper sticker. That is if you want to get crazy with it.

Here’s a list of ideas and prompts I got from AI. They are great.

• Your kindness makes a difference.

• You have a good heart.

• The world is a better place because you’re in it.

• You bring out the best in people.

• Your compassion touches more lives than you know.

• You make people feel welcome.

• You have a beautiful spirit.

• Your integrity is inspiring.

• You treat people with respect, and it shows.

• You have a calming presence.

• You are a wonderful mother.

• You are a wonderful father.

• Your children are lucky to have you.

• The love you give your family is evident.

• You show up when it matters most.

• You are creating a legacy through your children.

• The patience you show is remarkable.

• Your kids may not always say it, but they notice your sacrifices.

• You are doing better than you think.

• The care you give your family makes a difference every day.

• I’m grateful to have you in my life.

• You are a great friend.

• You make people feel understood.

• Thank you for always listening.

• I trust you.

• You make hard days easier.

• I appreciate your loyalty.

• You make people feel less alone.

• I can always count on you.

• You are the kind of friend everyone needs.

• You lead with wisdom and humility.

• People feel valued because of you.

• You make work a better place.

• You inspire others through your actions.

• Thank you for believing in people.

• You help others succeed.

• Your encouragement matters.

• You make a positive impact every day.

• You bring out the best in your team.

• People grow because of your leadership.

• Thank you for being you.

• I appreciate all you do.

• You make things better wherever you go.

• Your smile brightens people’s day.

• You are easy to talk to.

• You make others feel important.

• You have a gift for helping people.

• Your presence is a gift.

• You are appreciated more than you know.

• Thank you for making a difference.

• Keep going. What you’re doing matters.

• Someone’s life is better because of you.

• Your efforts are making a difference.

• You are stronger than you realize.

• You have overcome so much.

• Don’t underestimate your impact.

• Your story matters.

• You have gifts this world needs.

• You are making a difference, one person at a time.

• You are enough exactly as you are.

• I admire how patient you are with people.

• I love how you always include others.

• You have a way of making people feel seen.

• You are incredibly thoughtful.

• I appreciate your honesty.

• You always find a way to help.

• You have a gift for encouraging people.

• I admire your courage.

• You handle difficult situations with grace.

• Your generosity inspires me.

• You matter.

• You are appreciated.

• You are loved.

• You belong.

• You make a difference.

• Thank you for being you.

• Your kindness shines.

• The world needs more people like you.

• You are a blessing to others.

• Someone is grateful for you today.

I’m curious to hear your feedback on this topic, especially if you begin doing it and can share with me your experience of how you feel and the outcome of how the recipients felt or reacted, or if the relationship changed in any way, or if you really made someone’s day.

Please let me know.

Thanks for reading!

Eddie

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