kindness memes

November 13 is World Kindness Day, a global observation emphasizing the need to be kind to one another to thrive peacefully as a worldwide community. The World Kindness Movement first celebrated the day at a 1998 Tokyo conference and has spread worldwide for 26 years.

If you missed celebrating on the 13th, don’t worry. World Kindness Week is celebrated through November 18. But, of course, we can all be kind every day, can’t we? Whether to our friends and family, strangers, animals, or ourselves, a commitment to kindness can make a huge difference in everyone's life.

Why does kindness matter?

Studies have shown that people who engage in regular acts of kindness report higher life satisfaction and overall happiness. They also have reduced symptoms of depression and improved mental well-being. The great thing is that an act of kindness doesn’t stop there. Studies show that acts of kindness can have a ripple effect and spread like wildfire.

World Kindness Day even got the folks on X, known for salty barbs and controversial political takes, to calm down and think about what really matters in life. Here are some of the most uplifting posts made under #WorldKindnessDay.

Be kind because you never know what other people are going through.

#WorldKindessDay is a great reminder to make kindness your purpose in life.

Small acts of kindness for others can make a difference.

#WorldKindnessDay is a great reminder to be kind to animals and care for the environment so they can thrive.

Mr. Rogers knew a thing or two about kindness. How can we use his example to bring more kindness into the world?

Remember to be kind to yourself.

People didn’t just celebrate World Kindness Day on X. Krispy Kreme put its money where its mouth is by giving away free boxes of a dozen Original Glazed donuts to the first 500 customers at select locations nationwide. “We hope that each dozen Original Glazed doughnuts we give away enables and inspires many dozens of small acts of kindness,” Dave Skena, Krispy Kreme’s Global Chief Brand Officer, said in a statement.

Tom Cledwyn of London, England, is also putting his money on the line for World Kindness Day. He encourages people to start conversations with strangers at the city’s shops, bus stops, tube stations—and even urinals. If they happen to speak with the right stranger on World Kindness Day, they could win £25,000 ($32,000) in cash. His goal is to push back against the stereotype that Londoners are unfriendly.

"There is a sense of injustice Londoners feel about being labeled as unfriendly," Cledwyn said, according to The Mirror. "All they have to do to prove the world wrong is to talk to strangers for the day. Spending a moment or your time to acknowledge and engage with someone is the simplest form of kindness there is. Everywhere needs more kindness right now. In that respect, London is no different to anywhere else."