We’ve put together some ideas for kind acts you can do that will spread some happiness AND help improve your own mental wellbeing!

Research shows that helping others can be beneficial to our own mental wellbeing. If we are feeling stressed or unwell it can be hard to focus on helping others, and we may out it off until we are feeling better, but there’s lots of evidence that doing some of these kind things will help you as well as the recipient.

Helping others can be:
A good way to reconnect with old friends and make new ones, growing your network of support for when you need someone to return the kindness you’ve shown; a way to get or stay more physically active; a distraction from your own worries or anxieties; and a boost to your self-esteem and confidence.

Random acts of kindness can also encourage others to repeat the kind act that they’ve experienced – it contributes to a more positive community!

You could:

• Call a friend that you haven’t spoken to for a while to check on how they’re doing;
• Send a handwritten letter to a grandparent;
• Help someone with outdoor chores such as mowing or pruning, especially if the person is ill or frail;
• Tell someone you know that you are proud of them and/or thankful for them;
• Have a conversation with someone who is homeless - many people who have experienced homelessness say being ignored is one of the hardest things, so acknowledging someone on the street can make a huge difference to their day;
• Offer to accompany a friend to a fitness class they’re too nervous to go to alone;
• Offer to teach a friend a skill they’d like to learn from you such as knitting, or volunteer at a group or community centre where you can share your skills;
• Put a surprise note or drawing on someone’s desk, sharing a positive or motivational comment.

And remember - be kind to yourself too!