The world has become a very dark place recently. We see it in the news, and we see it in the paper. But, you don’t have to be President Obama or Donald Trump to say or do something influential for the crisis. You can be a regular citizen and still make a tremendous impact on someone’s day. After all, the true power of the world lies in the hands of the citizens. Here are five random acts of kindness that can be the difference between making or breaking someone’s day.

1. Pay it forward.

Many of us are addicted to caffeine. Maybe not literally, but you stop at Starbucks on the way to work in the morning, or when you’re in the middle of a lunch break with a pounding headache and you’re just feeling like a latte. But, you might not know that you can be a prime citizen in the Starbucks drive-thru. All you have to do is simply tell the cashier that you’d like to pay for the order of the customer behind you as well. You’ll probably make his day, with him knowing that someone cared enough to pay for his coffee.

2. Smile at anyone.

Some days, you wake up, take a glance at the mirror, and cringe at the sight, because you just don’t look human at all. It’s okay: we all have those days. But, even if you’re feeling so down in the dumps about yourself or your image, just look at anyone as you’re walking down the hallway to the restroom and just smile at them. It’s okay if they seem caught off-guard. You may not know just how bad they were feeling about themselves until you decided to throw a smile their way.

3. Compliment someone.

I can’t count the amount of times I’ve looked at someone and thought “Wow, she’s pretty,” or “Dang, I like his shoes.” Chances are, someone has probably looked at you and thought the same things. So, next time a random compliment crosses your mind, tell that person! Sure, it might be a little awkward because you don’t know them but it will definitely make them feel more self-confident.

4. Leave change in the vending machine.

Sometimes, I’ll walk by a vending machine and feel my stomach groaning and grumbling for hunger but I won’t be able to buy anything because I don’t have any change or the machine doesn’t take ten-dollar bills. Just imagine how happy you’d make a hungry and hard-working co-worker if you left enough change in the machine for them to grab a quick pick-me-up.

5. Leave a bigger tip for your waitress.

Waiters and waitresses are undoubtedly underrated. They work for hours on end, dealing directly with incompetent and impatient humans. Out of everyone, I would say that waiters and waitresses deserve at least a bit more than a $5 tip. So, next time you’re out for lunch with the team or with friends, add a couple more dollars each and your waiter or waitresses will bow down to you.

Although we may be different in our cultures, skin colors or values, we all share the same desire: to be happy. Happiness is not always from big events in your life, but from the little things, right?