TODAY

Spend part of your lunch hour in line? Put yourself in the shoes of the barista or cashier helping you and take the opportunity to ask them how they’re doing. According to a kindness.org study in collaboration with the University of Oxford, witnessing kind acts also boosts well-being. Extending kindness to strangers in a public place can impact the mood of everyone around you —and spark more kind acts.

Learn other ways to spark kindness

Even when we know people’s names, why do we go for days without using them? By using someone’s name, you help them feel seen and acknowledged — and that’s an act of kindness. According to kindness.org’s research in collaboration with the University of Oxford, doing a kind act increases happiness, well-being, trust and compassion. And it can have the same powerful effect on those who receive the act. Try it, and put a smile on both your faces.

Feel like you don’t have the budget or time for self-care? Self-care is a practice that anyone can do — and it’s also an act of kindness. Kindness.org’s 7 Days of Intentional Kindness Study showed that kindness to family and friends, strangers and self had equally positive effects on wellbeing and positive social emotions. Take five minutes each day to call your own, and use the space to remind yourself that you matter.

When these kids with special needs get 'A Chance To Dance,' they shine

Kim Smith couldn't find dance studios that would take her daughter, who has autism. She started a new kind of class and her students are making their mark.