Month: February 2019

Live Your Healthiest, Happiest, Most Purposeful Life with Faith-based Mindful Living

This blog on faith-based mindful living has been updated and is adapted from my book, 18 Weeks to a Healthier, Happier, Most Purposeful Life

What do you want your life to look like? What about your children’s life? Are there things you would change? What does YOUR healthiest, happiest, and most meaningful life look like? 

I am a list person, so when I am asked this question, my immediate impulse is to make a list.

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My Mindful Living Checklist (Does your list look similar to mine?):

1.My greatest desire is to glorify God in all that I do. I want to show God’s love through kindness and giving. My prayer is that I listen for God’s guidance in every situation because when I listen to God, amazing things happen, and I WANT TO BE AMAZED!!!

2. I wish to have a peaceful and positive life and a grateful attitude. I want to enjoy the little moments by taking the time to notice God’s world and soak it up!

3. We humans seem to have a natural desire to work and create. We want to have meaning and purpose in our lives. This is true for me too. In my ideal life, I want to learn, grow, and work. I want to create something new, and in some small way make the world better. I want to challenge my mind through reading and learning from God and others, and I want to challenge my body through physical activity. 

4. Just as I desire to work, grow, and be challenged, I equally want to have time to rest, relax, and play. Sometimes finding the time to relax is the most difficult challenge in life, and yet so important for our health and our ability to serve God and others. 

What Do We Want for Our Children?

Of course, I want these things, even more for my children. One of my greatest joys is watching my children as they feel God’s presence. They look so peaceful and content. My 2ndgreatest joy is seeing my children show kindness to others, and my third greatest joy is witnessing my children living in the moment and appreciating the little things. 

We may all have different wishes and desires, but when we break them down, I’m guessing that this list is at the heart of most of our desires…

Live YOUR healthiest, happiest, most meaningful life through faith-based mindfulness and nutrition. For busy families who want to eat healthy and organize their lives in order to better follow God & serve others. Time-saving make-ahead meals, mindful living, mindful eating techniques included
Live YOUR healthiest, happiest, most meaningful life through faith-based mindfulness and nutrition. For busy families who want to eat healthy and organize their lives in order to better follow God & serve others. Time-saving make-ahead meals, mindful living, mindful eating techniques included

But How Does Mindful Living Help Us Become This Person and Live this Healthy, Happy, Purposeful Life?

Well, I don’t fully know all the answers, but I do know a few things that help, and those are:

  • Spending time with God
  • Practicing faith-based mindful living techniques including Mindful eating
  • Mindfully eating foods from God’s earth that nourish our mind, body, and soul
  • Getting adequate rest, sleep, and physical activity

So that is where my book, 18 weeks to a Healthier, Happier, More Purposeful Life comes in.  This book is designed to help you live YOUR healthiest, happiest, most meaningful life through faith-based mindful living and nutrition. 

The Life Changing Benefits of Mindful Living

There are many benefits to incorporating the mindfulness techniques discussed in 18 weeks to a Healthier, Happier, More Purposeful Life. In fact, mindfulness techniques are so beneficial that schools have even started implementing mindfulness programs.

Although more research is needed, current research indicates that implementing Mindfulness programs in schools may improve social behaviors, mood, stress levels, and even academic performance and test scores. Schools are even reporting fewer suspensions, detentions, violent incidents, principal visits, bullying, and classroom disruptions since incorporating mindfulness programs! 

The Benefits of Faith-Based Mindful Living are Overwhelming

If you think about it, these results make since, don’t they? Practicing mindfulness techniques can relieve stress and help us have better self-control. When we have less stress and learn to have more self-control, we tend to make better choices. Less ideal choices can sometimes cause even more stress, which brings us full circle. Furthermore, aren’t we better able to focus and learn when our brains are calm verses stressed?

So you can see how mindfulness activities can be so impactful, but for me, the most profound impact happens when I combine faith and mindfulness.

In 18 Weeks to a Healthier, Happier, More Purposeful Life, We Talk About: 

1. Mindfully focusing on God’s presence in every moment. One aspect of mindfulness is about focusing on being present. But with faith-based mindfulness, you are focusing on how God is present with you in that very moment….

2. …And while focusing on God’s presence you get to notice all the gifts from God and the beautiful little things in God’s world.

 Let’s go back to that “Healthy, Happy, Meaningful Life list” because Faith-based mindfulness helps me fulfill that list like nothing else.

Here is How My Life Has Been Transformed Through Faith-based Mindful Living:

  • I listen to God more: Listening to God helps me make better choices. I’m not letting negative emotions take control of my actions. (At least not as often, anyway)
  • Now I am more at peace and filled with comfort because I am noticing God is with me everywhere.
  • I get to have more goose-bump-“I’m awe-struck” moments because when I intentionally focus on God in the present moment, I actually see what God is doing in my life and the lives of others around me. By focusing on God in the present moment, I get to experience the feeling of amazement more often, and I WANT TO BE AMAZED!!! (Don’t we all want to be beautifully amazed?)

Mindful Living Translates to Mindful Eating: The Prayer Before a Meal That Stops Me from Over Eating and Other Mindful Eating Techniques

Did you know learning to pause and pray is what finally helped me (a dietitian) stop overeating?

When you mindfully eat, you get to experience ALL these faith-based mindfulness benefits and more. Mindful eating gives us the opportunity to focus on God’s presence, feel gratitude for God’s gift of food, and rest our brain! We get to have mini mindfulness moments with God EVERY. TIME. WE. EAT!

With mindful breathing, we are pausing and centering out minds on one thing-breathing. When we are mindfully eating, we are still pausing and centering our brain on one thing, but this time that one thing is eating. With faith-based mindful eating, we are resting our brain by focusing on God and the food God provided. 

Some of the Other Benefits to Mindful Eating Are:

Weight Loss

I don’t want to focus too much on this because all sizes can be healthy. Some people are naturally smaller and some naturally weigh more. We have different builds and genetics. Plus, other things like medications, medical conditions, and even uncontrollable seasons in life can affect weight.

But I also don’t what you to feel that wanting to lose weight is somehow wrong. You may want to see if weight loss will help you have more energy or help with a medical condition. Maybe you feel like you could keep up with your children more if you carried less weight or maybe you want to see if weight loss can help with joint pain. There are reasons you may desire weight loss, and fortunately mindful eating can help with weight loss while also helping you stop that food obsessing often associated with dieting.   Mindful eating helps you feel full and notice your hunger/satiety cues. Moreover, the desire to binge decreases because you are actually enjoying your food ALL THE TIME.

Relieves Stress

Like the mindfulness practices above, Mindful eating is a stress reliever. Stress can cause weight gain so this is yet another way mindful eating helps with weight loss.

May Reduce the Risk of Many Chronic Conditions

Mindful eating can aid in digestion. How? When you mindfully eat, you take your time chewing your food. Chewing thoroughly gives your stomach enzymes more surface area to do their work, which again promotes healthy digestion and absorption.

Mindful Eating and Gut Health

These reasons, along with the ability to relieve stress, are how mindful eating can aid in digestion. Healthy digestion and stress relief promotes a healthy gut. Poor gut health is related to inflammation and reduced immune function. Gut health, inflammation and immunity are all linked to many condition including IBS, Crohn’s, Autoimmune Disease, Alzheimer’s, heart disease, stroke, brain function and focus, mood and even depression and anxiety, to name a few. So anything that promotes a healthy gut is something worth looking into in my book. (Fortunately, a mindful eating guide IS included in my books!)

How Can Nutrition Help You Live a Healthier, Happier, and More Meaningful Life?

Okay, this feels like a good place to talk a little about nutrition, and how in the world nutrition helps my family and me become those people and live that life listed in the opening paragraph. Healthy foods can help us focus, improve our moods, and give us the energy we need to serve God and others; learn and grow, and live a more positive life. 

In 18 Weeks to a Healthier, Happier More Purposeful Life you are provided with a list of nutrients and foods that promote cognitive function, boost mood, support the immune system, and reduce the risk of chronic disease and some autoimmune and neurodegenerative diseases. I know our children’s learning, behavior, and mood are important to us, so I picked ingredients that can help with focus, attention, behavior, and immunity. These amazingly beneficial foods are included in the Meal Builder Table in this book. With this table, you will be able to build a healthy meal on the spot. The possibilities are endless! You will be amazed at how easy it is to throw together a nutrient-packed meal!

Be Inspired to Take that Mindful Living Step

18 Weeks to a Healthier, Happier, More Purposeful Live takes you on an inspiring and uplifting journey with me, a dietitian who has lost 50 pounds through faith-based mindful nutrition. Thanks to faith-based mindfulness and nutrition, I went from being weight obsessed to feeling healthy and happy in my own body. Ironically, during the process, I ended up, not only losing weight but also strengthening my walk with God. Now she feels healthier than ever, AND she truly enjoys eating! I am able to feed my mind, body, and soul nourishing foods and feel good in my own body without weight obsessing.

Related Posts

Cook Once a Month, Eat Healthy Everyday

My Prayer Before a Meal that Stopped Me from Overeating

The One Thing I Did to Lose Weight and Strengthen My Walk with God

Resources

  1. Aucoin M, Lalonde-Parsi M-J, Cooley K. Mindfulness-Based Therapies in the Treatment of Functional Gastrointestinal : A Meta-Analysis. Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine : eCAM. 2014;2014:140724. doi:10.1155/2014/140724.Bakosh LS.  Doctoral dissertation. 2013. Investigating the effects of a daily audio-guided mindfulness intervention for elementary school students and teachers. Available from ProQuest Dissertations & Theses database. (UMI No. 3618722)
  2. Bakosh LS, Snow RM, Tobias JM, Houlihan JL, Barbosa-Leiker C. Maximizing mindful learning: An innovative mindful awareness intervention improves elementary school students’ quarterly grades. Mindfulness. 2015 Advance online publication.
  3. Diamond A, Barnett WS, Thomas J, Munro S. Preschool program improves cognitive control. Science. 2007;318:1387–1388. [PMC free article] [PubMed]
  4. Parker AE, Kupersmidt JB, Mathis ET, Scull TM, Sims C. The impact of mindfulness education on elementary school students: evaluation of the Master Mind program. Advances in School Mental Health Promotion. 2014;7:184–204. [PMC free article] [PubMed]
  5. Parker AE, Kupersmidt JB, Willoughby MT.  An investigation of mindfulness education and self-regulation in middle school classrooms. 2014. Manuscript in preparation.
  6. Black DS, Fernando R. Mindfulness training and classroom behavior among lower-income and ethnic minority elementary school children. Journal of Child and Family Studies. 2014;23:1242–1246. [PMC free article] [PubMed]
  7. Britton WB, Lepp NE, Niles HF, Rocha T, Fisher NE, Gold JS. A randomized controlled pilot trial of classroom-based mindfulness meditation compared to an active control condition in sixth-grade children. Journal of School Psychology. 2014;52:263–278.  http://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsp.2014.03.002. [PMC free article] [PubMed]
  8. Hofmann SG, Sawyer AT, Witt AA, Oh D. The effect of mindfulness-based therapy on anxiety and depression: A meta-analytic review. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology. 2010;78:169–183. [PMC free article] [PubMed]
  9. Semple R, Droutman V, Reid BA. Mindfulness Goes to School: Things Learned (So Far) from Research and Real World Experiences. Psychol. Sch. 2017 Jan 54 (1): 29-52. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5405439/
  10. Liu, R. T. (2017). The microbiome as a novel paradigm in studying stress and mental health. American Psychologist, 72(7), 655-667.http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/amp0000058
  11. Mayer E, Knight R, Mazmanian S, Cryan J, Tillisch K. Gut Microbes and the Brain:Paradigm Shift in Neuroscience. Journal of Neuroscience. 2014;34(46):15490-15496. doi:10.1523/jneurosci.3299-14.2014.
  12. Rogers G, Keating D, Young R, Wong M, Licinio J, Wesselingh S. From gut dysbiosis to altered brain function and mental illness: mechanisms and pathways. Molecular Psychiatry. 2016;21(6):738-748. doi:10.1038/mp.2016.50.
Copyright © 2019 Mindfulness in Faith and Food.

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The Top Meal Prep & Meal Planning Books by Registered Dietitians

Top healthy meal prep adn meal planning books written by registered dietitians; healthy family meal planning, organize your meal planning, make ahead meal prep with freezer meals
Top Meal Prep and Meal Planning books written by registered dietitians

Nutrition Books for Specific Conditions Written by Registered Dietitians

 I hope you have found this series an invaluable resource of nutriton information. 

This is the fifth post in the series…

Best Books Written by Registered Dietitians

(Note: At the top of each post in this series, I have provided a description of what a dietitian is; therefore, if you have read any of the other posts in the series, you may want to skip down to the list portion.)

You may be asking…

So what exactly IS a Registered Dietitian, and why do I want to take note when a health and wellness book is written by a Registered Dietitian?

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A registered dietitian, by definition, is considered the expert in the field of nutrition science. The term Registered Dietitian is actually different than a nutritionist. In fact, the term nutritionist is not a regulated term and has a more general meaning. The term registered dietitian, however, is regulated much like the terms doctor or lawyer. In other words, you are not allowed to call yourself a doctor unless you are a doctor, and you cannot call yourself a registered dietitian unless you have completed all the academic and professional requirements.

Requirements for Registered Dietitians

So what are the requirements? Is there some kind of certification you need to be a registered dietitians?

Actually, you cannot just get a certification to become a registered dietitian. Whereas there might be certifications available for nutritionists.

To become an RD you must:

  1. Complete a Bachelors Degree at a college accredited by the Commission of Accreditation of Dietetic Education. Some of the required courses generally included are:

  • Microbiology
  • Medical Nutrition Therapy
  • Biology
  • Chemistry
  • Organic Chemistry
  • Anatomy and Physiology
  • Evidence Base Nutrition
  • Human Nutrition and Metabolism
  • Nutrition Counseling
  • and more

2. Complete 1200 hours of a competitive internship (The internship is usually completed in hospitals, community service agencies, medical clinics, etc)

3. Pass the CDR Exam

Just like a lawyer can’t practice law without passing an exam, an RD cannot become a registered dietitian without pasing the CDR.

4. By 2024, all register dietitian will be required to have a master’s degree as well. Many RD’s already do.

5. Complete Continuing Education Units throughout their career to keep their registered dietitian credentials.

So you can see why it is a plus when a health and nutrition book is written by a registered dieitian. I want to preface here that just because an RD is considered the expert, doesn’t mean you can’t get great nutrition information and advice from non-dietitians. People who have a passion for nutrition or people who have discovered something that works for them can write insightful nutrition books.

Many health and wellness enthusiasts have done extensive research on their own and have valuable information,  but if you are getting advice from non-dietitians, I would recommend looking for the following:

  1. Are they getting their information from a Registered Dietitian? Are they seeing what multiple registered dieitians have to say about the topic before giving advice?
  2. Do they know when it is time to refer their clients to a registered dietitian? Many informed people have general nutrition knowledge, but when a client or customer needs medical nutrition therapy; then, a dietitian may be needed. Dietitians are trained in nutrition as it relates to diseases, drug-food interactions, tube feeding, enteral nutrition (nutrients through the veins), and various other medical conditions. These topics can get complicated and even be dangerous if incorrect information is given.

For example, someone may tell a client to eat more bananas because bananas are healthy, after all, BUT if a person has kidney failure and is on dialysis, too many bananas could put someone in the hosptial or worse!

One Final Note..

So one final thought before we move on to the book lists. If a book is written by a non-RD, you may want to see if a registered dietitian has written a review about the book, recommended the book, or even written a forward for the book.

Nutrition books written by non-dietitians are not a deal breaker, by any means, but you can see why seeing that RD beside an author’s name in a nutrition book is a plus.

Okay now for the good stuff…

The fifth post in this series is…

Meal Planning & Meal Prep Books by Registered Dietitians

52-Week Meal Planner: The Complete Guide to Planning Menus, Groceries, Recipes, and More

I LOVE to feel organized. Getting organized takes the weight off your shoulders, doesn’t it?!?! That is why I love this book! The goal of this book is to help you organized your meals for a whole year! This meal planner includes:

  • One year’s worth of weekly templates to plan breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks
  • Grocery lists and price comparison sheets
  • Recipe pages

This wonderful origination tool is written by registered dietitian, Jessica Levinson, MS, RDN, CDN.

Your 6-Week Guide to LiveBest: Simple Solutions for Fresh Food & Well-Being

This book also made an appearance in my “Healthy Living Books Written by Registered Dietitians,” but I thought this book fit well in this list as well. This 6-week guide includes more than 100 breakfast, lunch, and dinner solutions. In this book, you will find simple, realistic solutions as wells as assessments, food tips and meal ideas to help you live a happier, healthier, and stronger life. 

Plant-Powered for Life: 52 Weeks of Simple, Whole Recipes and Habits to Achieve Your Health Goals―Starting Today

If you want your meal plan to be full of flavorful, nutritious plant-based foods; then, this is the book for you. This guide, which is broken down into 52 weeks, provides 125 A-MAZING plant-based recipes!

 

The Healthy Meal Prep Cookbook: Easy and Wholesome Meals to Cook, Prep, Grab, and Go

Our lives are so busy that we often don’t have much time to plan and cook our foods. This is why meal prepping is soooo beneficial! Toby Smithson provides so many meal prepping tips and solutions in her book. This book is perfect for busy families who want to find a way to eat healthy on a busy schedule.

This book includes:

  • Helpful tips,
  • Meal plans,
  • Shopping lists,
  • Storage solutions
  • Healthy recipes
  • Healthy Grab and Go Snacks
  • And More…

The Nourishing Meal Builder

The Meal Builder Cards included in The Nourishing Meal Builder takes the stress out of meal planning. In fact, you don’t have to do much meal planning ahead at all!

In this ebook, you get a list of anti-anxiety, anti-inflammatory nutrients and foods that support the immune system; boost mood; reduce the risk of chronic disease; and promote cognitive function, focus, attention, and memory. You simply use these list to grocery shop! Then when you are ready to cook a meal, you use the meal builder cards to create a nourishing meal on the spot! It’s so easy and the meal possibilities are endless!

The Nourishing Meal Builder
Create anti-anxiety, anti-inflammatory, mood boosting, immune supportive meals that reduce the risk of chronic disease and promote cognitive function, focus, attention, and memory.

Diabetes Meal Planning and Nutrition For Dummies

As soon as I discovered this book, I knew I had to include it here. Deciding what to eat on a diabetic diet, can feel overwhelming. This books takes out the guesswork by helping you easily plan your meals. Diabetes Meal Planning and Nutrition for Dummies includes tons of helpful information like healthy eating tips for diabetes, food swap ideas, and of course, yummy recipes!


Mindfulness in Faith and Freezer Meals by (yours truly) Lacy Ngo, MS, RDN

This IS the ultimate meal prep book! Mindfulness in Faith and Freezer Meals shows you how to prep ALL your meals for a month in ONE DAY!!! I developed this book because, although I LOVE to cook, I couldn’t find the time to cook healthy meals everyday. Life. Gets. Soooo. Busy, and figuring out what to eat everyday can sometimes be one more mentally draining decision you have to make.

That is why I began prepping and freezing a month of meals in one day. Over time I became extremely efficient at making all of these meals at once. I can now get all my breakfast, lunch and dinners for a whole month prepped and frozen in only 6 hours!!! This book teaches you the tricks and the steps to take in order to prep and freeze your meals efficiently too. When it’s actually time to eat breakfast and lunch, you simply throw one of these meals in the microwave for 2 minutes and IT. IS. DONE!!!! For dinner, I usually put the family-style meals in the crockpot while I am making my kids lunches in the morning. It’s so simple! With Mindfulness in Faith and Freezer Meals, you have one less thing to think about each day. Now you can enjoy healthy meals and focus on your family instead of trying to figure out what to cook!

Mindfulness in Faith and Freezer Meals includes the some of the most popular family recipes. From Pizza Bites and Southwest burrito dip, to Asian Chicken and rice; there is something for just about everyone.

Meal Prep and Meal planning, weight loss, freezer meals ebook, mindful eating, healthy freezer meals, healthy meal planning for busy families
Mindfulness in Faith and Freezer Meals eBook

Related Posts

Top Cookbooks Written by Registered Dietitians

Top Healthy Living Books written by Registered Dietitians

Nutrition Books on Specific Conditions written by Registered Dietitians

Childhood Nutrition Books Written by Registered Dietitians

Cook Once a Month, Eat Healthy Everyday

Holistic Health: Mind, Body, Spirit Books by Registered Dietitians

Books for Registered Dietitians by Registered Dietitians

Sports Nutrition Books written by Registered Dietitians

Weight Loss Books Written by Registered Dietitians

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Simple Random Acts of Kindness Ideas

RAK is a spontaneous or planned kind act performed for no other reason except to simply make someone’s day or life a little better, brighter, and happier.

We are happiest when we feel like we are making a difference in the world. Random Acts of Kindness gives you the opportuntiy to make a little difference in the world for somebody. RAK is a gift for both the giver and receiver.  In fact, after experiencing the ethereal feeling of giving a few times, I think we begin to realize that giving makes us happier than any material possession can. We only truly learn this by experiencing it, and I want my children to feel that feeling and learn this truth too. When we do RAK as a family, we are giving a gift better than gold to our children.

Starting RAK

Starting RAK can feel overwhelming (I talk about this here), so below are 64 of my absolute favorite ideas to get you started. Have fun! Spread joy and get double the joy in return.

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60+ Random Acts of Kindness Ideas, A List of Random Acts of Kindness Ideas or RAK List of Ideas
60+ Random Acts of Kindness Ideas

Everyday

  • Before entering any new environment (ex: work, the grocery store, church, a party, or a park; or even before you get on the internet or social media), pray to God, “God, please help me be loving and kind while I am at (Insert where you are going here), please guide me and help me notice when someone needs help or extra kindness. I know that you are here with me right now. Thank you for being with me here in this place.”

Giving Ideas

  • Leave one of your favorite uplifing books at a doctor’s office waiting room or donate a book to the “Little Free Library.”
  • Put $1 in a tip jar for no reason.
  • Leave a small gift surprise on a neighbors front door.
  • Make a Random Acts of Kindness planner and include local nonprofit agencies and their contacts in your list. Now you have a list on hand whenever you want to help! Call and email your local agenices and ask them what kinds of donations do they need. Examples of local agencies include soup kitchens, nursing homes, hospice, food pantries, homeless shelters, foster care, chidlren’s homes, adult day cares, etc. Find a free printable Random Acts of Kindness Planner

    here.

  • Leave some change at a laundry mat. 
  • Leave a little bag containing money on the Redbox so that a family to buy snacks to go along with their movie. Add a little note to the bag explaining this Random Act of Kindness.

Printable “Movie snacks” Random Acts of Kindness Notes are included in the free downloadable RAK planner here.

  •  Leave $2 in a bag  on one of the aisle of the Dollor store. Add a little note to the bag explaining this Random Act of Kindness.

Printable “Dollar Store/Dollar Tree” Random Acts of Kindness Notes are included in the free downladable RAK planner here.

  • Add a lunchbox note to your kids or your husbands lunchbox.

For free printable lunchbox notes for your kids, click here!

  • Whenever your school, church, cub scouts, or team holds a service project or donation collection, participate!
  • Purchase a gift card at a store; then give the gift card to someone as they walk into the store. We did this for Christmas once. We bought a $50 Walmart gift card and then handed it to a mom as she was walking inside the door.
  • Have a lemonade stand, cookie stand, slushy stand (be creative), and give the money earned to a local charity.
  • Call your local school or your child’s teacher and ask if they need any school supplies or snacks.
  • Say thank you to the people who have helped you through life by leaving a gift and a thank you note on their front door.
  • Leave a quarter on the parking meter. Add a little note to the bag explaining this Random Act of Kindness.

Printable Random Acts of Kindness Notes are included in the free downloadable RAK planner here.

  • Leave an extra big tip at a restaurant.
  • Donate some of your clothes and toys.
  • Give water to people on a hot day.
  • Fill a book bag with school supplies and donate it to “Back the Pack.”
  • Give away your umbrella to a stranger on a rainy day.
  • Leave a little money and a note in random places. Trust God will help the right person find it.

Printable Random Acts of Kindness Notes are included in the free downloadable RAK planner here.

  • Donate to a cause online.
  • Donate to a hospital: Give toys and craft supplies that kids can play with while sitting in bed.

“Giving your Time” Ideas

  • Make a Random Acts of Kindness planner and include local nonprofit agencies and their contacts in your list. Call and email your local agenices and ask if they need volunteers. Examples of local agencies include soup kitchens, nursing homes, hospice, food pantries, homeless shelters, foster care, children’s homes, adult day cares, etc

Printable Random Acts of Kindness Agency Contacts Organization form is included in the free downloadable RAK planner here.

  • Make Valentine’s, Christmas, Easter, or Spring Cards and hand deliver then to residence in nursing homes or adult day cares.

(We did this with Valentine’s Cards and the residence loved getting notes handmade and hand delivered from my children.)

  • Pick up litter in a park (I recommend using gloves and/or a trash grabber.)

  • Buy flowers and hand them out on the street.
  • Visit your older or sick family members. They have so much to share!
  • Using chalk, write encouraging words on the sidewalk.
  • Do your siblings chores without them asking.
  • Send care packages to soldiers.
  • Give blood.
  • Color a picture for a friend of family member.
  • Read books about social skills and kindness to your children.
  • Help someone who is carrying lots of stuff.
  • Stop at a child’s lemonade stand.
  • Stop at a car wash fundraiser.
  • Participate in a charity walk/run.

Random Acts of Kindness or RAK Planner: free printable download; includes a Random Acts of Kindness Ideas List and RAK notes

Random Acts of Kindness or RAK Planner: free printable download; includes a Random Acts of Kindness Ideas List and RAK notes

“Giving Your Time” Ideas Continued

  • Make a meal for someone who has just had a baby, recently had surgery, or is recovering from an illness. Food is a gift from God. Food gives us energy, food comforts, food sustains us, and food nourishes our bodies. That is why I think giving someone food is the ultimate sign of our love for them.
  • Pay for the person behind you in a fast food drive-through.
  • Participate in a local angel tree.
  • Participate in your churches donation collection drives. For example, our church has the “Helping Hands” box located in the lobby. This makes donating super simple. We just look in the announcement to see what agency we are helping and what items are being requested, then we add the requested donations to the box! One month, we may be collecting cans, the next month the church might be asking for winter coats.
  • Start your own neighborhood or friends “Helping Hands” box! Leave your box on the porch and get the word out that you are collecting donations. My neighbor’s child did this once, and I was amazed by her and the amount  of donations she collected. People simply dropped of kids toys at her house, and they took the toys to a children’s hospital.
  • Babysit for free.
  • After eating at a restaurant, stack your plates and wipe the tables. Now the waiter has less to do. This could be super helpful on a busy night!
  • If you notice someone with less groceries that you, let them go first.
  • Give someone you love an unexpected hug.
  • Call family members and loved ones just to say hi.
  • Invite friends over for dinner and games.
  • Take a trash pick-up walk in your neighborhood.
  • Ride a bike or walk whenever possible.

Volunteering Ideas

  • Volunteer at an animal shelter.
  • Tutor or read to kids at a local school.
  • Volunteer at church.
  • Help out in your child’s school. Email their teacher and ask if they need any help.
  • Volunteer with Family Promise. Not all towns have this program, but it is an amazing program! For this program, homeless families stay in local churches while they are working on finding a place to stay. Local churches take turns hosting these families. The host church provides dinner for the families and volunteers spend the night at the church while the families are staying there. Each family has their own room in the church. My family tries to spend the night whenever our church is a host. After we share a meal with these amazing families, my kids love to play with the children in the gym. We usually bring board game and a movie to watch right before bed.

 Just a Kind Word or Gesture Ideas

  • Have  a Compliments Day: make this a game to see how many compliments you can give out during a day.
  • Fill out comment cards or do a quick survey for a restaurant, hotel, or other businesses. Find out the name of the person who helped you and mention them in your comments. I just recently learned what a big deal this is. Not only does doing this brighten the day of the employee who receives the praise, but also could potentially help someone get a raise or promotion. Management often looks at these comment cards/surveys when making decisions about an employee.
  • Send a card to a loved one or friend to say why you love them.
  • Have an “Ask and Listen” day: Most of us need to listen better and sometimes all someone wants is to be heard. Make an effort to focus on the other person in conversation. Instead of trying to figure out your response to their comment, try to truly listen to what they are saying. Ask questions about them instead of bringing the conversation back to you. Make an effort to talk about the other person’s interest.

Social Media RAK Ideas (You don’t even have to leave your house!)

These are so easy and yet so impactful. You don’t even have to leave your house to spread love and kindness!

  • If a positive thought pops in your head about a post or picture you see as you scroll through your Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram feeds, share it with the person!

    If we keep the compliment to ourselves, we will miss a chance to lift someone’s spirits. Take it a step further and spend some time giving multiple compliments to friends, acquaintances, and strangers.

  • Leave a positive and encouraging comment on a blogger’s blog post, Facebook page, or instagram.

    Even just hitting the like button can help a blogger’s business. I had no idea how much this meant to bloggers until I became a blogger. Bloggers often spend hours perfecting a post. I never realized how much heart, sweat, and soul a blogger puts into a post. Postively engaging in a bloggers post does so much more than lift up their spirits. Every like, pin, share, comment, or interaction improves that blog’s rankings on google search, Pinterest, and Social media. So when you engage with someone’s post, you are having a huge impact on someone’s business without having to purchase a thing!

  • Leave a fantastic review! If you love a store, restaurant, business, handmade product, or book, go to one of their social media pages or review page and leave a nice review or comment.

    Positive reviews can not only lift someone’s spirits, but also impact     someone financially. Think about it… When we buy a product or book, we love to read the reviews first. The more positive reviews we read, the more likely we will buy that product! If you are reviewing a business, make sure to mention by name any employees who were particularly helpful. This will not only put a smile on the employees face, but could also potentially improve their chances of getting a raise or promotion.

Just Plain Fun

  • Leave a bag of quarters on a kid’s riding machine, an arcade game, a vending machine, or a wishing fountain. Add a little note to the bag explaining this Random Act of Kindness.

Printable Random Acts of Kindness Notes are included in the free downloadable RAK planner here.

  • Keep stickers in your pocket or purse. When a child (or mom) looks like they need a little fun distraction, offer a sticker. (I always ask the parent for permission before offering the sticker to the child.)
  • Smile at strangers.

And there you have it! 64 Random Acts of Kindness Ideas. I hope you have a blast spreadniing kindness! Let me know which Random Acts of Kindness yuo have done! I would love to hear from you!

Related Posts

How to Make Random Acts of Kindess a Priority in Your Family’s Life

Why You Should Start a Random Acts of Kindness Project

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You are free to retain any and all content here for personal use, but need permission to use it anywhere else on the internet.

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How to Make Random Acts of Kindness (or RAK) a Priority in Your Family’s Life

After thinking about the benefits of making RAK a priorty in part one of the Random Acts of Kindness series, I am super pumped to jump in and start performing Random Acts of Kindness today, but that wasn’t always the case. 

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Making Random Acts of Kindness or RAK a priority in your life plus a free downloadable Random Acts of Kindness planner and RAK cards

How Our Family Started Our RAK Project After Getting a Little Nudge

A few years ago, I felt this urge to do one Random Act of Kindness a week for one year. I wanted my son to experience the joy of helping others. Really, I felt more than just an urge. I felt lead! In fact, after praying for guidance, signs kept pushing me towards this RAK idea, and yet, I kept hesitating. I was just so busy. I had a newborn and a toddler, and the thought of doing this RAK thing was a little overwhelming. Not knowing how to begin, I just kept putting it off until this happened…

Others Were Kind to Us

It was my three year old son’s very first day of preschool ever. The day had gone so smoothly until I had to pick him up from school. I picked him up, put him in the car, and buckled him in; then, I buckled my two- month-old in the car seat next to him. I put my purse in the passenger seat, closed the doors, walked to the driver side and pulled on the door handle… The driver door would not open! I had one of those new keyless entry cars. With those keyless entry cars, you never have to take your keys out of your purse to unlock the door. The car unlocks all by itself when it senses the keys are near. In addition, the car is not suppose to lock all by itself, and you are not suppose to be able to lock your keys in your car. Well, my car had a fluke malfunction. I could not get any of the doors opened!!!

My 3-year-old and newborn were locked in the car and it was NOON on a hot day in AUGUST!!!! So on my son’s first day of school, I dialed 911. The firemen pulled up with lights flashing. I was shocked when they began pumping oxygen into the car. When I saw them do this, I exclaimed, “How long is it going to take to get the doors opened?!?! Just break a window if it is going to take so long that we need to pump oxygen!!!” Fortunately, the firemen got them out in a couple of minutes.

I Had to Pay It Forward

During the whole ordeal, many church members, staff, and preschool staff stayed to comfort me. They flagged down the fire truck, and afterwards, they stayed longer to offer emotional support, water, wet rags to cool off the children, and even called my family for me to explain why I was late. My church and preschool family, and the firemen were my heroes that day. But they did more for me than they know.  Because of the kindness shown to me, suddenly I didn’t want to put off RAK any longer.  Their kindness meant so much to me that I wanted to show kindness to others right away.

Our RAK Journey Began

The next week, I started by giving all my heroes sweet treats and cards expressing my deepest gratitude. What once felt overwhelming became much easier after that day.  Once I started looking for ways to show kindness, I found multiple acts of kindness to do every week.

The impact on my 3-year-old was huge. Not only did he experience acts of kindness from his church family, but he got to experience the joy of showing kindness to others. He is 9 now and often asks about the needy and makes suggestions on what we can do for others.

The lessons I learned from that experience are that

  1. Just doing nice things for others IS a witness of God’s love, and
  2. Showing kindness CAN really influence others more than I had ever realized. When I think of witnessing, I think of telling others about God, but people showed me God’s love without saying anything. They showed me God’s love by simply showing me unbelievable kindness.

Random Acts of Kindness Ideas List

You can start this amazing RAK journey with your family or your groups and clubs too, and I want to make it easier for you so…

Below is a free downloadable RAK planner which includes 64 Random Act of Kindness Ideas to help you and your family, group, church, or club get started:

The Free Downloadable Random Acts of Kindness Planner

Over the years, we have continued to do Random Acts of Kindness as a family. In fact, to make it a little easier to regularly do Random Acts of Kindness, I have organized a planner and made RAK cards. These cute little RAK cards say things like “You have Been RAK’ed (Random Acts of Kindness). Use this gift to get a snack for your movie.” This particular card can be taped onto a Redbox along with a little bag of snack money. The planner includes several other cute RAK cards as well.  I give this downloadable RAK planner to all Mindfulness in Faith and Food subscribers along with several other free printable downloads. To get this Random Acts of Kindness Planner click here. 

With Love,

Lacy

P.S. You can find more RAK posts below!

Related Posts

Why You Should Start a Random Acts of Kindness Project

Random Acts of Kindness: The Ulitmate Ideas List

Copyright © 2019 Mindfulness in Faith and Food.

You are free to retain any and all content here for personal use, but need permission to use it anywhere else on the internet.

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Why You Should Start a Random Acts of Kindness Project

I love doing series posts. With a series, like this Random Acts of Kindness Series, you get to delve into a topic, contemplate it, and discover the details. By the end of a series, I usually feel like I really learned something and have even grown just a little. I hope and pray you feel the same way.

For this series, we are going to dive in and soak up the topic of Random Acts of Kindness or RAK for short. We are going to cover it all! What is RAK? What is the point of RAK? Who benefits? And how does one incorporate RAK into her own family’s lives?

Serving God through Random Acts of Kindness, how doing Random Acts of Kindness as a family benefits other's and our own families.
Serving God through Random Acts of Kindness, how doing Random Acts of Kindness as a family benefits other’s and our own families.

What is Random Acts of Kindness?

By definition, RAK is a kind act performed for no other reason except to simply make someone’s day or life a little better, brighter, and happier. At first, RAK was thought of as a spontaneous act, but now people have started planning RAK activities. With planned RAK activities, the act is random and unexpected for the recipient, but planned by the giver.

I try to incorporate both spontaneous and planned RAK moments in my life. I plan because I want showing kindness to be a priority in life. When something is a priorty, it is important enough to include it in our calendars. As a priority, I want to make sure I make time for RAK, but I also like to perform spontaneous RAK moments as well. Once you have a few RAK ideas in your head and have a little practice from planned RAK activities, you can be on the lookout for those chances to spontaneously show kindness.

This site contains affiliate links (See full disclosure here.)

What is the Point of Random Acts of Kindness?

Reason 1

God created us all. We are all one family; everyone I meet is my brother or sister. I want my family to be happy. RAK is a great way to spread a little happiness to my brothers and sisters.

Reason 2

When we spread joy and lift someone’s spirits; then, that person is more likely to spread kindness as well. I think we all tend to be kinder when we are in a good mood. Once someone spread kindness; then, the next person might spread a little more kindness and so on and so on. Doesn’t that, little by little, make the world a better place?

By the way, one of my favorite children’s books beautifully illistrates how one small act of kindness could change the world. You can find the book in the link below:

Reason 3

We have no idea what trials and troubles a stranger is going through. Sometimes one kind word or unexpected gift could be the answer to someone’s prayer.

Reason 4

Many times the giver benefits more than the reciever. Funny how much our spirits are lifted when we lift someone else’s spirit. Sure, we all feel love for someone when THEY show us kindness, but did you know that we actually feel MORE love for someone when WE show kindness to THEM, regardless of whether they did something for us? Doesn’t love feel good? Think about the opposite. When we are negative, hurtful, and cranky, does that make us feel good? No, it hurts!!! So when we are positive, loving and kind, our hearts become even more full of love and happiness.

Okay I have another chidlren’s book recommendation that illustrates reason number 4 perfectly (I love children’s books!). The book is in the link below.

Reason 5

We are happiest when we feel like we are making a difference in the world. Toys and materials can’t come close to making us feel the way giving does. After experiencing the ethereal feeling of giving a few times, I think we begin to realize that giving makes us the most happy. We only truly learn this by experiencing it, and I want my children to feel that feeling and learn this truth too. When we do RAK as a family, we are giving a gift better than gold to our children.

Yep, I have another children’s book recommendation that brings this point right on home. Check it out below:

Reason 6

35 For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, 36 I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ 37 Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? 38 And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? 39 And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ 40 And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’

Matthew 25: 35-40

What a great reason to make RAK a priority. When we show kindness to our brothers and sisters, we are showing kindness to Jesus! Showing kindness and taking care of the poor, sick, less fortunate, widows, and orphans was a top priority in Jesus’ eyes. May we strive to make it a top priority for us too.

Coming Soon: PART 2 in the series…

How to Incorporate Random Acts of Kindness into your Life

The Free Downloadable Random Acts of Kindness Planner

Over the years, we have continued to do Random Acts of Kindness as a family. In fact, to make it a little easier to regularly do Random Acts of Kindness, I have organized a planner and made RAK cards. These cute little RAK cards say things like “You have Been RAK’ed (Random Acts fo Kindness). Use this gift to get a snack for your movie.” This particular card can be taped onto a Redbox along with a little bag of snack money. This planner includes several other cute RAK cards as well as a detailed Random Acts of Kindess Ideas list.  I give this downloadable RAK planner to all Mindfulness in Faith and Food subscribers along with several other free printable downloads. To get this Random Acts of Kindness Planner click here. 

Related Posts

How to Make RAK a Priority in Your Family’s Life

What happens When You Ask God to Help you Help Others?

Random Acts of Kindness: The Ultimate Ideas List

Copyright © 2019 Mindfulness in Faith and Food.

You are free to retain any and all content here for personal use, but need permission to use it anywhere else on the internet.

A Bluehost site.

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