19 Little Things You Can Do To Be a Better Person

I’m the first person to admit that I can hold grudges for a lifetime, I get pissed off easily, and if I’m having a bad day, I’ll let the whole world know – even innocent bystanders.

These are not lovely qualities to have. So, in an effort to be a better person, I’m making some changes.

Although some of the things on this list are things I already do, even when I’m in a cranky mood, if you’re feeling like you need to step up your game and be a better person, here are 19 ways to make that happen.

1. Rescue a pet; don’t shop.

saving one is a step in the right direction.

2. Buy coffee one morning for the person behind you in the line at Starbucks.

While you may not be psychic so you don’t know their order, just tell the cashier to add an extra five or seven buck to your order, so you can get the person behind you off to a great day.

3. Devote a day to smiling at everyone you see.

As a New Yorker, I can tell you that this one is hard. But! I actually did this other day and it felt good! Granted some people looked at me like I was insane, but there were more people who smiled back than wandered if I skipped my meds that morning.

4. Take out your neighbor’s trash.

I think this one only works if you live in an apartment building, but I could be wrong. In my building, sometimes we’re just too damn lazy to take out our trash at night, so we just put it outside our door. If you happen to see that a neighbor has done this while you’re on your way out, just grab it and toss it for them.

5. Compliment a stranger.

But don’t do it for the sake of doing it. Do it and mean it.

6. Apologize to someone you wronged.