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Updated April 7, 2023

spread-kindness

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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