Be kind

Kindness is one of the most consistently powerful predictors of personal well-being and social connection. Lyubomirsky's research on kindness interventions (2005) demonstrated that people who performed five acts of kindness per week experienced significant increases in happiness that persisted over time — particularly when the acts were varied and intentional rather than routine. Otake and colleagues' research on kindness and subjective well-being (2006) found that happy people are more attuned to kind behaviors, count more kind acts in their daily lives, and experience a positive feedback loop between kindness and happiness. Neuroscience research confirms that performing kind acts activates reward circuits in the brain, producing what researchers call the "helper's high." Kindness also strengthens social bonds, builds social capital, and creates reciprocity networks that benefit entire communities. Importantly, the research shows that kindness benefits the giver at least as much as the receiver.

• 1
  You are so focused on your own goals and pressures that you rarely consider how you could help or support others
• 2
  Your interactions with strangers, service workers, or acquaintances are transactional rather than warm
• 3
  You have become cynical about human nature and default to self-protection rather than generosity
• 4
  You cannot recall the last time you went out of your way to do something kind for someone without being asked

Consider these questions to understand where you stand: