Kindness isn’t just good for others; it’s also incredibly beneficial for your own health. Research shows that practicing kindness can reduce stress, improve your mood, and even lower your blood pressure. While kindness can brighten someone else’s day, it can also work wonders for your well-being.
The Health Benefits of Kindness
Studies have found that acts of kindness trigger the release of feel-good hormones like oxytocin, which helps reduce inflammation, and serotonin, which boosts your mood. By engaging in kind acts, you’re not only making the world a little better but also improving your own health. Regularly practicing kindness can help decrease anxiety and improve your overall sense of happiness and well-being.
How to Be More Kind Every Day
You may already have ideas on how to show kindness to the people around you—whether it’s your friends, coworkers, or even strangers. Whether it’s big or small, random acts of kindness can go a long way in brightening someone’s day. What’s even better is that kindness tends to be contagious. When you practice it, others are likely to pay it forward, creating a ripple effect of positivity.
So, how can you incorporate more kindness into your daily life? Here are 30 simple ways to practice kindness, both to people you know and to strangers.
30 Ways to Spread Kindness
Ideas for Everyday Kindness
- Start your day by bringing in a box of treats for the office, along with a note: “Help yourself and have a great day!”
- Send a heartfelt letter to a child who could use a little extra support. Kids love receiving mail.
- Write a positive review on Yelp for a small business in your neighborhood.
- Leave a kind comment on a friend’s social media post to brighten their day.
- Send a thank you note to someone who gave you a thoughtful gift, and share a photo of it in use.
- Celebrate a co-worker’s or friend’s birthday by bringing something special to share.
- Leave small bouquets of flowers or cute jars on a coworker’s desk or at a friend’s doorstep.
- If you see someone asking for change regularly, keep some cash on hand to help them out.
- Check in on a friend who is going through a tough time with a simple text.
- Create little holiday gift baskets and drop them off for neighbors, coworkers, or anonymously at friends’ homes.
- Do something thoughtful for your partner in a way that speaks to their love language.
- Donate games or books to your local children’s hospital. Check their website for a list of needs.
- Send cards to hospitalized kids through organizations like Cards for Hospitalized Kids.
- Carry snacks or spare change to offer to those who might need it.
- Send a care package or letter to deployed troops.
- Spread some holiday cheer by sending cards to a nursing home.
- Leave a generous tip for your server with a kind note on the bill.
- Offer to donate classroom supplies to a teacher you know.
- Sign up for Amazon Smile so a portion of your purchases benefits a charity you care about.
- Send a morning text to a friend or family member to wish them a great day.
Random Acts of Kindness
- Leave a handful of pennies near a fountain for others to make a wish.
- Take a late-night walk and write uplifting messages in sidewalk chalk for commuters to find the next morning.
- Pay for someone’s expired parking meter to save them from a ticket.
- Write a letter to someone in need of encouragement through the organization More Love Letters.
- Pay for someone’s meal anonymously at a restaurant.
- Leave a $5 Starbucks gift card in a library during finals week for a student to discover.
- Greet a stranger with a “Good morning” on the bus or in the elevator.
- If you’re able, lend money to a budding entrepreneur on Kiva. Even small loans can make a big difference.
- Sign up to become an organ donor.
- Brighten a nursing home by delivering bouquets of flowers.
Spread the Love
You don’t have to practice kindness on your own. Grab a friend and encourage them to join you in committing random acts of kindness. They’ll likely appreciate the gesture and be inspired to spread kindness themselves.
By making kindness a part of your daily routine, you’re not only improving the lives of others but also enhancing your own health and well-being.
