A Kindness Bucket List

Using Selfless Resolutions to Find a Purpose

Follow my writing journey on Instagram @putintowords_withlee or my blog at put-into-words.com

Year after year, I read articles, glance at Instagram posts, and witness people succeed or fail miserably at their resolutions. Some make significant changes, others don’t make it past January 15th.

This year is no exception. Occasionally, I join and jump on the resolution band wagon. Other years, I am a critic on the sidelines.

One thing that I have consistently noticed is that most resolutions are self centered. Not that that is a bad thing. My goals in the past have consisted of health, language, and writing (the usual).

When you ask someone what their resolution is, the typical response is, “MY goal is _____.” Naturally leading to a goal for self-improvement.

Creating a list of smaller tasks helps achieve your long term goals- Photo courtesy of Pexels

This year, as I age, I have started to ponder my place and purpose more and more in this world. I want to try something new. A selfless resolution.

Finding a purpose to my small existence through selflessness is a big goal indeed. Like every big goal, an action plan of smaller achievable steps is required.

Here enters the bucket list of small goals that I can actually complete. Some are a one time stunt and others long term, but the goal is to look outside of myself this year in hopes of having a meaningful purpose.

A Kindness Bucket List

1. De-snow my husband’s car before work
2. Pay for the person behind me in the drive through once (pray it’s under $20.00- let’s be real)
3. Volunteer to wash towels at the local animal shelter (see my families’ love for animals here, here and here)
4. Donate blood regularly (deathly afraid of needles so this is a BIG DEAL)- Long term goal
5. Re-rack the weights in our apartment gym that peeps leave everywhere (pet peeve but also useful for the next lifter- check out 4 common gym etiquette mistakes)
6. Leave my pet sitter a sweet treat and thank you card on the table
7. Post a positive review of a specific waiter/waitress either online or on the phone
8. Call my family for check-ins before they call me

My list is short, but I think doable in a year. Have you checked any of these off? What random selfless acts would you add?

Originally published at put-into-words.com on January 15, 2019.