A good neighbor encompasses many qualities, but one of the most delightful ones is their ability to infuse everyday life with smiles and laughter.
So in an attempt to thank them for all the joy they bring to our communities, we at Bored Panda put together a set of pictures featuring people who could be nominated for the "Neighbor of the Year" award and their funny antics.
From putting up creative signs to sending unexpected gifts, these folks know how to create a warm sense of belonging, and if you do too, just try and be someone you'd want to live next to yourself!
#1 Met The Bees
Image credits: egeofanatolia
#2 I Adopted The Neighborhood Stray Cat. My Neighbor's Cat Got Her Pregnant. Woke Up To This
Image credits: chasingadalia
If these pictures, for some reason, still don't inspire you to foster relationships with your members, consider the following: according to psychologist Rick Hanson, Ph.D., who is a Senior Fellow at UC Berkeley's Greater Good Science Center, when you are friendly to others, you get rewarded yourself.
"Being friendly feels confident and happy, with a positive take on other people, moving toward the world instead of backing away from it. And it encourages others to be less guarded or reactive with you, since you’re answering the ancient question from millions of years of evolution—friend or foe?—with an open hand and heart," Hanson explained.
#3 We Got 10 Inches Of Snow Over The Weekend And This Lovely Neighbor Helped To Clear The Sidewalks
Image credits: shmargument
#4 I Haven't Met My New Neighbor Yet, But Her Dogs Love Me
Image credits: ontpinry
#5 My Friend's Office Has Been In A Post-It War With The Neighbors. Yesterday The Neighbors Won
Image credits: FUNKYDISCO
To warm up your brain’s circuits of friendliness, the psychologist suggests trying one or more of these:
- Recall being with someone who cares about you;
- Remember when someone was friendly to you;
- Bring to mind a time when you were friendly to someone;
- Get a sense of the posture, movements, gestures, and facial expressions of a person you know who is naturally friendly;
- Relax your body into a feeling of friendliness: leaning forward a little, rather than back; softening and opening your chest, face, and eyes; breathing goodwill in and out.
#6 Whoever You Are, You Made Our Day
Image credits: KaraAndrewsShall
#7 Just Transferred To A New Apartment With Some Interesting Neighbors
Image credits: Scrullo
#8 Left This In My Neighbor's Garden To Cheer Them Up
Image credits: RudyWillingham
#9 My Neighbor Cut Holes In His Gate So His Dog Could See Out
Image credits: AhhHue
You don't need to worry about something grandiose. Often you can just give a smile, handshake, or nod, and that’s plenty.
"Stretch yourself, but stay within the range of whatever is authentic," Hanson said. "Remember that friendliness is not agreement or approval; it does not mean you have given up on whatever your stances may be in the relationship. Friendliness does not equal friendship; in truth, most relationships are with friendly acquaintances."
#10 Neighbors Decided To Put A Fort Up Around Their House
Image credits: Raishiwi
#11 Bad Habit Cat
Image credits: louisxxx
#12 When Your Neighbors Have The Right Idea
Image credits: yreland
#13 Neighbors Went To See "It". It Will Be Dark When They See This
Image credits: mynameizbrian
It's in everyone's best interest. “Communities work better (students perform better, crime rates are lower, kids are safer, people live longer) when neighbors know one another better,” Robert Putnam, Harvard University Professor and author of Bowling Alone said.
#14 My Husband Is In The Process Of Redoing Our Lawn. I Didn’t Want Our Neighbors To Think We Were Neglectful Homeowners, So I Made A Sign
Image credits: csidlauskas
#15 My Neighbor’s Dragon Mailbox
Image credits: Sukanthabuffet
#16 I’m On Vacation For A Week And Asked My Neighbor To Go Check On Our Cat. He Checked On More Than That
Image credits: buckeyespud
#17 I Had To Warn The Neighbors About My Cat
Image credits: bL1Nd
#18 My Neighborhood’s Nextdoor Is Something Else
Image credits: cori-iyupa
#19 The Bin Collectors Accidentally Destroyed My Bin. Mildly Infuriating, But My Neighbor Managed To Deliver The Bad News In A Comedic Fashion
Image credits: ChewyLewy97
#20 My Neighbor Put This Above His Doorbell
Image credits: yarectln
#21 Somebody In My Neighborhood Did This To Their Tree
Image credits: reddit.com
#22 My Neighbors' Mailbox
Image credits: Dane-0
#23 Been Watching My Neighbor's War With A Woodpecker For The Past Year
Image credits: I_know_left
#24 Demolishing The House Next Door, Couldn't Resist
Image credits: VotemanXB1
#25 This Sign Recently Appeared In My Neighborhood
Image credits: RiggsFTW
#26 My Neighbor Is 3 Kids In A Trench Coat
Image credits: Beatreporting
#27 Our 80-Year-Old Friend Is Visiting. Our 75-Year-Old Neighbor Came Over And Now They're Planking
Image credits: Loose__seal__2
#28 Told My Neighbor I Don't Like Snowmen And Walked Out To This At 5 AM For Work
Image credits: baresketcher
#29 My Neighbors Use Of Their Halloween Decorations During Summer
Image credits: timmy6169
#30 Neighbors Made A Snowman For The Neighborhood To Enjoy
Image credits: Lutya
#31 My Neighbor Put 1000+ Plastic Dinosaurs In His Front Yard
Image credits: carljohanr
#32 Car Drove Through A Brick Fence, Neighbor Put This Out
Image credits: reddit.com
#33 My Girlfriend's Neighbor Showing Her Dog The World
Image credits: basscat27
#34 When The Neighbor Is Relaxing In Her Garden With Her Cat, Wearing A Hotdog Costume
Image credits: reddit.com
#35 Neighbors At Our Beach House Made A Whale-Shaped Bush, Blowhole And All
Image credits: Jaimass
#36 Either Someone Stole The "J" Or My Jewish Neighbors Have A Sense Of Humor
Image credits: ramos1969
#37 Neighbor Is Letting The Neighborhood Weigh In On Their House Color
Image credits: ChazMcGreedly
#38 It's My Neighbor's First Day Of Retirement. He Set Up A Nerf Gun Turret In His Garage, Waiting For Neighbors To Walk By. He Looked So Proud
Image credits: sweetbambidoll
#39 My Neighbor's Front Door For Thanksgiving
Image credits: eeviltwin
#40 During The Recent Lockdown, One Of Our Neighbors Has Kept His Sense Of Humor
Image credits: donmcg12
#41 Seen In Our Neighborhood
Image credits: luaka_
#42 Someone In My Neighborhood Totally Wins April Fools' Day
Image credits: soupnrc
#43 My Neighbors In Illinois Put Wet Pants In Front Of Their House
Image credits: Hamrobe
#44 Neighbor's Tortoise Escaped And Walked Almost A Street Away. At Around 250 Pounds, This Was Their Solution To Get Her Home
Image credits: sweetsugr25
#45 My Neighbor's Boat
Image credits: whispernaut
#46 A Little Boy In Our Neighborhood Went Door-To-Door Selling Homemade Brooms For $2. Even Demonstrated The Effectiveness Of It. Needless To Say, His Tactics Were Effective
Image credits: Kynetixx
#47 The Kids Next Door Don't Mess Around
Image credits: yeastybeast
#48 Just My Neighbors Taking Their Pig For An Afternoon Walk
Image credits: aloganvanherroy
#49 This Is The Backyard Of A Neighbor
Image credits: nogroundpizza
#50 My Neighbor's Mailbox Is A Microwave Oven
Image credits: Faiiven
