♥ Happy December 1, 2023!
Lindsey Riel Girl Mom | Texan | Web Designer
So what is this happy heart ideas business Linz? You ever feel like you just want to do something nice for someone, but unsure where to start? I’ve found involving your kids helps with creative ideas. Like a lot of kids, our girls weren’t too keen on sharing their toys when they were little. Part of what helped us teach them to share was explaining in the simplest of terms, when you do something nice for someone, you both get to feel happy. Parenting is crazy difficult, but this one message has really stuck. Praise the Lord!
Cheese alert, sorry not sorry. The feeling you get when you’ve done something nice for someone is what we refer to as a happy heart moment in our family. It usually goes something like this ..
Kid – “Mom, my friend spilled their crayons today and I helped pick them up.”
Me – “Awww happy heart! How kind of you!”
Kid – “Relax Mom.”
Me – “Whatever dude, you did something nice and you know it gave you a happy heart!”
Kid – *walks away slowly because I have a super cheesy smile on my face and they feel a monster hug headed their way*
I’m kidding, but honestly, that feeling you get when you do even the smallest of things to help someone out is the freakin’ best! It literally feels like your heart is smiling, so we call it happy heart.
My Sister and I collaborated on a project called LoveSent years back. If you’ve followed me for that long you’ll remember the fun little cards and such. It’s something I hope she’s able to continue to push forward in the coming years and look forward to seeing all the good she’s able to do with it! Essentially the same idea, doing good for good’s sake in simple ways that make a huge difference.
There are some days we can find a million obvious ways to make someone smile, and others we need ideas, so here are…
1. Rake your neighbor’s leaves for them.
2. Surprise your friend with their favorite coffee.
3. Drop a handwritten note in the mail to someone in your life who could use a little pick me up.
4. Leave a note in your mailbox thanking your postal worker.
5. If you like someone’s super sweet outfit, tell ’em! We’re big on that in this family. I’ve got my kids yelling at the people in drive thru’s when they like their sparkly nails ✨. Compliments are the best!
6. Leave a thoughtful note on a friend’s car.
7. Call the local school and offer to pay for a child’s lunch fees.
8. Take cookies up to the local firehouse and/or police station with a note thanking them for all they do. Use our free thank a Police Officer printable here.
9. Call an elderly relative or friend just to ask them how they’re doing and talk. This one goes a long way, y’all!
10. Ask people you encounter how their day is going, and listen.
I have a fun little story for you regarding number ten on that list.
Our family loves Disney World and Universal Orlando, and we try to go annually. Any theme park versed folks know how cranky people can get with the heat and the crowds. Our last trip was winding down after a long day of parkin’ it up, and we were in line for Jimmy Fallon’s ride when the man who worked there asked us the seemingly obligatory “Hi, how are you?” – I responded and asked him how he was doing and waited for him to reply. He then said “I’m fantastic, and you know you’re the only person who’s asked ME how I’m doing today? Come with me..” He then proceeded to walk us to the front of the line where he told the woman at the door we were his “VIP” guests. All because I responded to his simple question and asked him how he was doing. It meant THAT much to him. What a huge lesson learned that day.
(name that Disney ride)
The biggest blessing of all was that my kids were there to witness what one small gesture can mean to a person. Ever since, I make sure to genuinely ask people how they are doing and actually listen to their answer. Prior to that experience, who knows how often I did? What a blessin’ and a lesson, as my girl Miranda Lambert says 🙂
Has anything like that ever happened to you? What are some things you do to help brighten someone’s day? I’d love to hear ’em in the comments below.
Happy “Happy Heart October”, friends!
xo Linz
