We are always told to appreciate the little things. And it is true, the little things can give us the biggest feelings of relief or happiness, and sometimes even help restore our faith in this world that seems to be too cruel too often.

While it is always nice to be on the receiving end of these little things, it is important to make our contributions as well.

You do not need to make a grand gesture to leave someone or some place better than when you first found it.

You can pay it forward as simply as passing along your shopping cart at Aldi to the next grocery shopper entering the store. If you are feeling really generous, you can offer to pay for the coffee for the individual behind you in line.

The little things are not limited to actions. Even your words can turn someone’s day around. Everyone needs validation and wants to hear something nice about themselves.

Just complimenting a stranger on an outfit or commenting a brief congratulations on a mutual friend’s post about a new internship can make that entire person’s day a little bit better.

These acts of kindness are small, but their effects can be immeasurable. These acts can be something that people will think back on throughout the rest of the week and smile fondly. These acts can be something that inspires people to pay the action forward to someone else, and hopefully continue the cycle spreading kindness.

The purpose of these acts is not to receive recognition or participate in the “I scratch your back, you scratch mine” mentality. It is to give back to someone in a way that can be returned or passed onto someone.