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Spread Kindness

Find opportunities to do good deeds today

By

Staying Sharp

Updated April 07, 2023

Updated April 07, 2023

A woman making a heart shape with her hands with a man behind her

blackCAT/Getty Images

Quick Win

Sprinkle small acts of kindness throughout your day, expecting nothing in return. You will lift people’s spirits — and your own!

Try This Today

Show your gratitude to a neighbor, friend, family member or acquaintance through a note or small treat.
Give plentiful praise. Let someone know how much you enjoy their company, give kudos on a job well done or compliment someone on a great new hairstyle.
Help a stranger. Carry bags or packages, hold the door open or let someone check out ahead of you at a store.

Why

We are social beings, and performing acts of kindness (random or otherwise!) can boost others’ spirits — and it may increase your own happiness. You may know this from experience, and research backs it up. In a study of 122 adults with heightened anxiety or depression symptoms, performing acts of kindness — even small things like offering someone a ride — led to an increase in life satisfaction and greater feelings of social connection, as reported in 2022 in The Journal of Positive Psychology. Moral of the story: Altruism is a win-win.

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Legal Disclaimer: Staying Sharp, including all content and features, is offered for informational purposes and to educate users on brain health care and medical issues that may affect their daily lives. Staying Sharp is based on a holistic, lifestyle approach to brain health that encourages users to incorporate into their daily lives activities that are associated with general wellness. Nothing in the service should be considered, or used as a substitute for, medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Features including the Cognitive Assessment and Lifestyle Check-Ins, Additional Tests, exercises, and challenges assess performance at a particular moment in time on certain discrete cognitive tasks. Staying Sharp games are intended for entertainment and recreational purposes only. Various factors may affect performance, including sleep, tiredness, focus, and other social, environmental, or emotional factors. Performance is not indicative of cognitive health and not predictive of future performance or medical conditions.

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