Giving to others from an authentic space of love and happiness without expecting anything in return makes your life more cheerful, more meaningful—and more bountiful.

I know that gifts of love, patience, forgiveness, etc are some of the best ones out there, yet I’d really like to share with you these free and practical gifts that nearly everyone can give.

1. Clean your house for your partner, or clean for a friend who finds it difficult to manage.

2. Give your child the gift of an internet-free day (for both of you). (Read my recent article on this topic: “The Gift of An Internet Fast.”)

3. Read to someone who finds it challenging, young or old.

4. Give your spouse a hand-written note of appreciation.

5. Cook dinner and let your spouse relax while telling you about his or her day.

6. Re-gift a book that really touched you.

7. Donate a favorite item of clothing or jewelry to charity.

8. Volunteer your time to an organization that needs help (voting booth, museum, pet rescue center, homeless shelter).

9. Hold the door for others for an entire day.

10. Make a card for someone special.

11. Spend time truly listening to a friend.

12. Go on a walk with a pal who needs help finding the motivation to exercise.

13. Take your child swinging at the park.

14. Perform a household task you usually don’t do (laundry, dishes, taking out trash).

15. Give your significant other control of the TV remote for an evening.

16. Be kind to someone who challenges you.

17. Help your partner or a friend make a healthy lifestyle change by practicing the change with him or her.

18. Shovel your neighbor’s sidewalk and/or driveway.

19. Hold your tongue—and your words—when they aren’t necessary or aren’t nice.

20. Offer your professional time free of charge.

21. Pick up wind-blown trash in your neighborhood.

22. Offer to walk a pet for someone with limited mobility.

23. Go to the post office for a busy friend.

24. Give blood.

25. Donate good-condition, used books to your local library.

26. Take the time to talk to someone whose first language is not English.

27. Say thank you to your parents for raising you—and putting up with you.

28. Give a friend a manicure.

29. Give away a frequently admired possession to a pal.

30. Dedicate your yoga practice to another person.

31. Don’t say anything unkind for one day.

32. Read to your child’s school classroom.

33. Invite a traveling friend’s spouse over for dinner.

34. Submit an article to elephant journal about something you believe in.

35. Spend a day in nature with your child, teaching him or her to love and appreciate our world.

36. Call catalog companies and ask them to stop sending you unwanted mail.

37. Plant a contagious smile on your face.

38. Offer encouraging words.

39. Wash someone’s car.

40. Walk to support a good cause.

41. Donate current but already read magazines to a women’s shelter.

42. Give thanks for your food every time you eat.

43. Invite someone to sit at your table in a crowded restaurant.

44. Host a party for a friend who makes a living selling a quality product.

45. Commit to giving a small gift every day from a place of inner joy and abundance.

 Giving doesn’t have to be expensive. It’s absolutely true that the best things in life don’t come with price tags.

So get out there and make our world a better place.

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Ed: Brianna Bemel