Do Something Nice Day: Why October 5th is the Day for Doing the Bare Minimum

Ah, Do Something Nice Day, that magical 24 hours where even the grumpiest among us can score points for basic human decency. It’s a holiday tailor-made for those of us who wouldn’t normally open a door for anyone unless the handle was on fire. But hey, today’s your chance to seem uncharacteristically generous—and maybe even impress a few people in the process. Ready to max out your good karma with minimal effort? Let’s get into it.

1. Hold the Door for Someone
   But not too many people. Let’s not get carried away. If it turns into a parade of thankless souls, abort mission and claim your arm’s tired.
2. Compliment a Stranger
   Keep it simple and weirdly specific. “Nice shoes!” works, but “I bet your cat respects you” makes it memorable.
3. Pay for Someone’s Coffee
   Buy a stranger their coffee. But pick a single espresso—they’re cheap. Avoid the person ordering a triple mocha frappuccino with extra caramel drizzle. You’re nice, not a bank.
4. Donate to Charity
   Drop a dollar into a donation box. Then loudly declare, “Just trying to change the world, one dollar at a time,” for maximum impact.
5. Let Someone Merge in Traffic
   This one’s for the overachievers. Wave someone into your lane, then feel like an actual saint for the rest of the day. But only do it once; you’re not that nice.
6. Text Someone Out of the Blue
   Hit up an old friend with, “Hey, just wanted to say I hope you’re doing great!” They’ll assume you’re either very thoughtful or that you accidentally pocket-dialed them. Either way, you did something nice.

Here’s the thing about being nice—it tends to spread. People are more likely to do something nice for someone else if someone does something nice for them. So, technically, you might set off a chain reaction of kindness with your low-effort niceties. But even if no one follows suit, at least you did something, and that counts, right?

October 5th only comes once a year, so if you’re going to be nice, today’s the day to shine. Tomorrow? You can go back to side-eyeing people in the grocery store. But for now, bask in the glow of your niceness—you earned it!