11 Small Gestures That Make Big Impacts

Small gestures of kindness are just that—small things you do to improve someone's day, cheer them up, or make them feel at ease. In this article, we will explore 11 small gestures that make a big impact on those you interact with every day.

From being thoughtful to practicing proper etiquette and manners, these small gestures will brighten anyone's day. Let's begin:

Dressing Well Makes A Big Impact

Dressing well means dressing with intention. This includes wearing well-fitting clothes that compliment your body style, avoiding clothing with stains and/or rips, and understanding how to use a colour wheel to create a harmonious look throughout your entire outfit.

Second-hand stores, consignment shops, and sites like eBay can be your friend if you cannot afford new clothes. Try clothes on, if you can, before purchasing them. If not, make a trip to your local tailor or menswear retailer and get your measurements. 

You want to get your chest, shoulder, neck, arm length, and waist measurements. Armed with this information, you can make an educated guess as to whether an item from an online retailer will fit.

Dressing well also means elevating the power of accessories like pocket squares, watches, fragrances (finding a signature scent is a subtle way boost to your style), and statement pieces (like ascots and cravats). Even a simple, eye-catching accessory can be enough to become unforgettable. It can even help start conversations if you are shy!

Get Into The Habit Of Being On Time

Despite our best intentions, most of us end up being late once in a while. If it happens occasionally, it isn't a big deal. However, if you are someone who is always late, people will quickly notice, and you may not be invited to as many events.

Being on time means you actually care about the event you're attending, even if it's a dentist appointment for a root canal. Punctuality is important, especially when it comes to first impressions and dating.

If you are someone who is habitually late, consider investing in a watch (even a cheap one), convincing yourself your plans/appointments/meet-ups are 15 minutes or half an hour earlier than they actually are, or bet your friends that if you aren't on time you owe each of them $20 or you have to buy the first round of drinks.

Practice Chivalry. It Isn't Dead

While some may argue that chivalry is dead, a gentleman will prove this wrong. The definition of chivalry has evolved over the years but the principle is still the same—helping others. A chivalrous act will help brighten someone's day, regardless of who they are.

A simple act of chivalry such as opening a door for someone or grabbing something off a shelf they can't reach isn't a transactional action. The satisfaction of doing a good deed for someone is better than expecting them to do something for you in return. Besides, no self-respecting gentleman would tell a sweet old lady to tip him like a New York hotel door-hop in exchange for holding open a door.

Offering Your Seat To Others

Offering your seat to an elderly person, an expectant mother, or someone with mobility issues should be a no-brainer act of common courtesy. If you encounter someone who looks like they should be sitting, simply offer them your seat. If they decline, continue sitting but be aware that they may change their mind and take you up on your offer.

If they are boarding or disembarking at the same stop as you, offer them to get on or off ahead of you and offer to assist them. Always ask before assisting as some people may feel uncomfortable if they are touched without any warning.

Donate To Charity Or Volunteering

The impact donating or volunteering has on people is tremendous. Not only are you assisting those who need a helping hand, but you also feel better about yourself knowing you changed someone's life. Your involvement in the community helps strengthen it. Volunteering even a few hours every few months can make a huge difference for those who have fallen on tough times.

Donating doesn't have to mean money. You can donate your time, clothes, household items, even your empty bottles. You can volunteer at an animal shelter, food kitchen, or local youth group. Check your local paper or community for upcoming events you can be a part of if you'd like to offer a helping hand to others.

Say "Please", "Thank You", And "Sorry" 

Being able to communicate effectively through consideration, gratitude, and sympathy will strengthen your relationships and show others that you care about them. Understanding how these phrases can affect others will increase your emotional intelligence and help you to express your genuine feelings for those around you.

If you want to know more about the power of these words, our article titled Three Simple Phrases Every Modern Gentleman Should Know goes into more detail.

Treat Others With Respect

The old saying "a little respect goes a long way" holds true for everyone. As social creatures, we all deserve some level of respect, whether it's because of our position in a company, our role on a sports team, and even our relationships. Respect helps build community, which is vital to making connections and maintaining positive relationships with other people.

Treating others with respect can be as simple as giving a proper handshake, being respectful of someone's religious views, practicing empathy, and respecting someone else's opinions even if they don't align with yours.

By treating others with respect we can ease (or completely avoid) conflicts, arguments, disagreements, and tensions, we can strengthen relationships, resolve squabbles, and eliminate friction caused by disputes. While we can't agree with everyone on everything, we can usually agree to disagree and respect their choices (as long as they aren't hurting anyone). 

Practice Active Listening 

Actively listening to what someone has to say means listening for important details like remembering names (read our article 16 Easy Ways To Remember Names for helpful tips), dates, and places. 

Being aware of the other person's tone of voice (also known as 'emotional prosody')and can tell if they're annoyed, sad, or excited. Using that information, you can generate a reply that is more engaging than "uh huh" or "no way" in a monotone voice.

Every relationship is built on effective communication. Being able to pick up on social cues during an exchange will lead to deeper conversations and create stronger relationships. Active listening skills take time to develop. Here are some tips on how you can become an active listener:

• Give the speaker your undivided attention

• Use the 70/30 eye contact rule. Look them in the eyes 70% of the time while they're speaking

• Turn your body towards them while they're talking (have your feet facing them, and your body will follow)

• Summarize what they said and use it in your replies

• Do not give unsolicited advice. If they ask for your input, then share it

• Keep an open mind about what they say. If you disagree with them, don't call them out or become defensive. Instead, try to see things from their perspective

Be Thoughtful 

Thoughtfulness means showing those you love and appreciate how much they mean to you. This can be through small acts of kindness like buying them lunch or hanging out together on a weekend, helping them with some chores like moving or repair work, or even just calling them to tell them how much they mean to you. Even just lending an ear when they had a rough day is a thoughtful thing to do.

Being thoughtful also goes beyond your friends to people you interact with on a daily basis, like coworkers, and even complete strangers. Offering someone a helping hand when you see they're struggling is an act of thoughtfulness. 

A thoughtful person never asks "what's in it for me?", but rather, "how can I help?", when they offer their services or time. A good deed should never be transactional. Especially when it comes from the heart.

Use Proper Table Manners 

Proper table manners include not eating with your mouth full, keeping your elbows off the table while food is present, resisting the urge to phub others at the table, and speaking at an appropriate volume.

Practicing proper table manners isn't just to look proper, it's to show respect for others dining with you and, to a further extent, the waitstaff and other patrons dining in the establishment. Being respectful and kind to everyone will make everyone's dining experience an enjoyable one.

Love 

Love everyone.

Summary

Being kind doesn't take a lot of money. Sometimes, a simple action like holding the door for the person behind you or picking up something someone dropped can be enough to make a positive impact on that person.

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