The world has become a very negative place to live in. If you’re not complaining about the traffic, you’re complaining about the lady in front of you in line who is taking way too long or you’re shaming kids for being rowdy. But if you’re not doing anything to fix the problems you’re upset about, you might as well be contributing to them yourself.

Fortunately, acts of kindness have become a kind of new trend in today’s society. People are doing things that, let’s be honest, should be done anyway but are flaunting how good it makes them feel. Friends, there’s a difference between Common Courtesy and Acts of Kindness. If you just don’t know how you can contribute to making the world a better place, here are a few starters.

Push the cart in at the grocery store- it won’t kill you to walk the extra feet.

Stop to let pedestrians cross-the signs on the road aren’t just for looks. Pedestrians have the right of way.

Ask the store clerk or cashier how they are doing too-remembering that customer services workers are human too and probably don’t want to be serving a grumpy person like you, might make you think twice before you scoff them off as just a “lazy piece of society.”

Put things back where you found them in a store- honestly, this is just pure laziness. Come on, now.

Letting a car through when you’re stuck in traffic- After big events when everyone tries to run to their car to get out before the lines get backed up… just put your patience cap on. Everyone has to get in line, might as well be a friendly person about it since you’re going to be sitting there for half an hour anyway.

Opening the door- this is more of a forgotten common courtesy thing, but definitely deserves attention.

Using manners regularly- A very forgotten habit in society. You are no better than anyone else out there. And as Julie Andrews said, “Manners, matter.”

Offer to have someone stand under your umbrella- Helping a fellow human out when you’re on your way to class or work and it’s raining, they’ve clearly forgotten their umbrella or don’t have one, be a nice human and make their day less, wet.

Have more faith in humanity- I struggle when I see this happen because that guy probably isn’t trying to “rip you off”, more often than not, he’s doing his job. Not everyone is the awful human being you seem to think they are or seem. Also, keep in mind that every body has their own struggles they’re dealing with.

To quote one of my favorite guys ever, John Green said, “the world may be broken, but hope is not crazy.” I hope that this world I live in shines a little brighter each day and lends a hand to others and remembers the courtesy that helps each other out.