5 Good Deeds a Month is Average in Texas
Most of us do five of them each month, but what qualifies as a "good deed" exactly? You'll be surprised at how easy this is.
When you think of good deeds, you might think of big things like paying someone's rent for a month or giving them a place to stay after a divorce. But this is the one time we can think smaller and it will be okay. The little things count as good deeds too.
Things that qualify as good deeds, according to a new study by OnePoll:
-- Helping someone with directions
-- Holding the door open for someone
-- Letting someone with fewer items get in line ahead of us at the grocery store
-- Helping someone cross the street
-- Running an errand for someone
Over half of the people surveyed have paid for a stranger’s meal recently. Other good deeds include things like helping someone carry their groceries home, picking up litter or garbage, and giving change to a panhandler.
Should good deeds be things that we can do during our normal daily routines? It seems like there should be some sort of noticeable sacrifice of time or energy involved if something is to be considered a good deed, but at the same time, it's nice if we can get one accomplished without going too far out of the way. Wake up, shower, get coffee, pick up litter, get to work. Maybe we accomplish more than we think we do in a day.
Does picking up stray grocery carts in the parking lot count? I don't know if it's because I'm nice or if it's because something is out of place and I'm driven insane by the lack of organization, but if I see a cart perched on a curb I can't help but swing it back into the cart return. I don't want the grocery store cart collectors to work any harder than they have to.
The survey also found people are more likely to give back if they're on the receiving end of something nice. The pay-it-forward effect is real.
So, if you've done four good deeds in the past month and you're looking for a fifth or even a sixth, we've got some great ideas here on the website. There are plenty of people and pets needing boosts right now, and we're plugged in and ready to help.
It feels good to help an East Texas neighbor, especially during the holidays. And apparently, it's a lot easier than we thought.