25 Everyday Acts of Kindness that will Make You Happier

If you’re looking for a way to feel happier, be healthier and make those around you feel good—there is one easy thing you can do—and it is absolutely free.

Be kind.

It’s as simple as that. Studies on kindness have shown that being kind makes us feel happier, reduces stress and anxiety, strengthens our hearts and can even make us live longer!

And, of course, being kind brings joy into someone else’s day. Even a small act like helping a stranger carry their groceries could be a tremendous help.

You never know if someone is suffering from an illness or a bad back and is having trouble just completing their everyday tasks. Your random act of kindness could mean the world to them.

Just recently I made a trip to the post office and I was struggling to carry all of my bags and boxes. And you know what? People simply just walked by.

I didn’t need anyone to open the door for me or help me carry my packages (man or woman), but it sure would have been nice!

We’re all guilty of it. We all have those days when we’re so stressed or busy that we simply don’t think to open the door for someone else, offer to carry their packages or ask the Starbucks barista how her day is going.

The easiest way to be kind on a regular basis is to make kindness a habit.

I have a challenge for you: Every day for the next 10 days, challenge yourself to perform a daily act of kindness.

At the end of the 10 days, I bet you’ll feel happier—and I bet you’ll want to continue being kind. Once you train that “kindness muscle,” you won’t be able to get enough of it!

Researchers in Great Britain had participants do this 10-day challenge, and at the end of the 10 days, they found that the participants experienced a significant boost in happiness.

I know that for me personally, when I sprinkle kindness around like crazy, it energizes me and makes me want to help people even more.

So are you ready to get started on your Kindness Challenge?

If you need help coming up with ideas for your daily acts of kindness, here are 25 ideas to get you started:

1. Open the door for someone.
2. Help someone carry their groceries, bags, packages, etc.
3. Pay for the person’s drink behind you in line at your favorite coffee shop. This is a personal favorite of mine. One time I went to the coffee shop to buy my usual sweet tea and someone did this for me. I then paid for the person behind me, and the barista told me that this kindness chain had been going on for an hour straight!
4. Teach a friend or colleague something new.
5. Offer your professional services to someone at a discount—or even for free (if you can afford it).
6. Write a colleague or friend a handwritten note of appreciation.
7. Cook a meal for someone you know who is sick, just had a baby or is going through a busy time. Or, just to show someone that you care! 🙂
8. Bring bagels, doughnuts or breakfast tacos for your office.
9. Introduce someone you know to someone else who may be able to help her (whether it’s to find a job, build her business, teach her something new, etc.).
10. Let someone go ahead of you in traffic.
11. Let someone go ahead of you in line.
12. Give someone a compliment. Can be someone you know or that stranger at the post office who is wearing shoes so cute you can’t resist letting her know!
13. Offer to babysit so your friend can go to the gym or go out on a date.
14. Send a friend or family member flowers “just because.”
15. Gift your SkyMiles to a friend so she can go on that vacation she desperately needs.
16. Bring an extra coffee to work—one for your colleague.
17. Ask a colleague if she needs help with any projects.
18. Give someone a ride to the airport.
19. Write a positive review on Yelp or Facebook for a local business.
20. Endorse a colleague (past or present) on LinkedIn.
21. Ask a bride-to-be if she needs help with wedding planning.
22. Volunteer at a local charity for an afternoon.
23. Donate money to a charity of your choice.
24. Ask a friend you haven’t seen in a while out for lunch or dinner (and treat!).
25. Send a “thank you” note and/or a gift to someone who made a difference in your life (a mentor, a past teacher, etc.).

What will you do for your everyday acts of kindness? Leave me a comment and let me know!

I’d also love for you to keep me posted on your 10-Day Challenge. Leave me a comment or a message on Facebook and let me know what you did and how you feel!

We all could use a little more kindness in our lives. If we all tried this challenge, just imagine how much happier we’d all be! And who knows, maybe you’ll be a lucky recipient of someone else’s everyday act of kindness. 🙂