That’s it. Just say hi to someone and acknowledge their existence. With almost two thirds of American adults experiencing the feeling of loneliness sometime over the year (source: Cigna 2021) who knows how your hi might alleviate that feeling, however small and fleeting.

This will take you less than 30 seconds, but will put an instant smile on someone’s face. The list of things you could text is endless, but here are some Give, Uplift, and Validate suggestions: you could tell someone you love/admire/appreciate them, you could thank someone for something they have done, you could pay them a compliment, you could acknowledge someone’s feelings, encourage them, or just say I am thinking of you.

This could be small, in a group of friends stating that you are proud that a person is working through stuff , or this could be at the dinner table at home recognizing a Little Big Thing that a household member has done. It could be a bigger deal, perhaps a shout out at a meeting when someone suggests a good idea, or even a work email to colleagues celebrating achievements. You can even use this website to submit a public acknowledgment. Invisibility can be crushing, but everyone have the power to counteract this.

Think of a time where you were consumed by an emotion, but also felt embarrassed about feeling this way. That person who listened to you explain how you feel and made you feel a little less silly for feeling that way, well that could be you for someone else. No need to “fix” things, just listen and validate that person’s feelings.

Compliments run deeper than acknowledging someone’s cool shoes or clothes (though they can be fun too!), but perhaps the most meaningful compliments are where someone actions get noticed. Try “I really liked how you handled that” or “You have such positive energy” or “I know how hard you work and you make it look easy.”

Saying thank you is about the quickest, easiest and most effective of all the Little Big Things. It’s all about being seen and validated and these two simple words can address those feelings quicker than Usian Bolt on a space rocket.