Put your gratitude into action. Here’s 60 places to start.

“Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all others.”

-Cicero

I find it hard to rank virtues, but apparently Cicero did not. His quote above suggests that not only is gratitude the greatest virtue, but all others stem from it. Not a bad argument. If it is true, service is a stem of gratitude. Which makes sense as all acts of service (including the small ones) plant grateful seeds in the giver and the receiver.

Below you will find our updated list of quick and easy acts of service. At this pace, we will hit 100 by January 2015. Please, please, please continue to help by sending me your ideas.

60 small and powerful acts of service

1. Serve this service blog. Send via email or social media one idea to quickly put the spirit of service into action.
2. Brighten a teacher’s day. Send in an unsolicited treat or thank you.
3. Treat your spouse to an unexpected display of passion.
4. Do online research about the distinction between change and charity.
5. Encourage someone to share their faith with you in a place where it is normally kept quiet (work, school, etc).
6. Grant someone the freedom to parent differently than you without judgment.
7. Bring a neighbor an unexpected gift.
8. Offer an elderly pet owner peace of mind by suggesting you care for their beloved pet whenever they are unable.
9. Choose to share something shameful or painful in your past if it will help another feel less alone.
10. Rally around an acquaintance going through a difficult time. Sometimes it’s the most unexpected acts of love that touch us the most.
11. Act! Move beyond sympathetic thoughts. Vow to do one small thing (donate, advocate, etc.) to address a problem that seems hopeless.
12. Cut a neighbor’s grass.
13. Donate school supplies.
14. Offer support to a grieving soul long after the funeral.
15. Share a piece wisdom that only comes with age.
16. Make a call and check on an elderly family member.
17. Laugh long and hard. Laugh loud enough for others to hear you.
18. Give someone a gift you made yourself.
19. Say no. Knowing you can set limits will give you the confidence to serve more.
20. Take a walk with a loved one. It serves the body and soul.
21. Admit you’re biased. We all are. Facing that we have biases (racial, class, religion, etc) helps us to better address our issues and to serve more sincerely.
22. Loan someone a book you love.
23. Don’t let it sit in a drawer. Give your old cell phone and chargers away or donate them to a charity.
24. Treat a pet with kindness and respect.
25. Share public service information (traffic detours, power outages, flood warnings etc.) via social media.
26. Turn off and unplug electronics you aren’t using.
27. Pick up trash that wasn’t properly discarded.
28. Give someone more credit than they deserve.
29. Hear gossip and refuse to spread it.
30. Believe someone’s dream is possible. And tell them. They need the support.
31. Fight indifference. Let yourself feel sadness when you see a homeless person.
32. Tell someone you forgive them. And mean it.
33. Put a Band-Aid in your wallet to give away when needed.
34. Contact an elected official via social media to quickly advocate for a cause you believe in.
35. Call someone you usually text and tell them you just wanted to hear their voice.
36. Pick up an extra item or two from the grocery store to donate to your local food bank.
37. Make a small online donation to a charity you support.
38. Practice empathy. Take a few minutes and imagine the struggles of someone you know.
39. Listen carefully. Many people yearn to be heard.
40. Thank a healthcare provider for their service.
41. Tell someone a joke.
42. Save someone from a work conversation they aren’t enjoying. “I hate to interrupt, but can I borrow you for two minutes.”
43. Actually take your reusable bags into the store with you.
44. Actually take your reusable cup into Starbucks with you.
45. Pray for someone.
46. Teach someone something. Anything.
47. Text someone a specific compliment. (e.g. “I admire how much patience you have with me.”)
48. Give someone you love your undivided attention.
49. Hold a door open and wait while multiple people pass through.
50. Take time to write a supportive comment to someone on Facebook.
51. Hug someone.
52. Share any online article that raises awareness of a service need.
53. Let that busy person behind you go ahead of you in line.
54. Leave change in a vending machine.
55. Pay the toll for the person behind you.
56. Thank a solider for their service.
57. Discuss with a younger relative a piece of your family history.
58. Cheer loudly for someone else’s kid.
59. Give away an extra umbrella on a rainy day.
60. If you love them, tell them.

 What’s missing?