Help someone
If you’re feeling a bit blue, try this: help someone.
Research shows that acts of kindness activate reward circuits in the brain and dial down stress. Helping boosts positive emotions, increases connection, and restores a sense of agency — all core ingredients of resilience.
Not sure where to start? Here are some ideas.
Who’s having a harder week than you? What’s one small thing you can do to help ease their stress? It might be making a meal, picking up groceries, or simply sending an I’m thinking of you text.
Compliments are completely free, easy to give, and often just what people need to hear. Be specific to show someone that you really see them. “You handled that meeting calmly” lands better than “you’re amazing”.
Introduce two people who could benefit from knowing each other as colleagues or friends. Or romantically, if you like the idea of playing cupid!
Look for opportunities to help people throughout the day. Hold the door open, let another car go ahead of you in traffic, or pay someone a compliment.
Consider putting aside a small amount of money each pay check that you can use to help others. It doesn’t have to be much — even a few dollars here and there can make a difference.
Helping others won’t make your problems go away, but it can help build resilience. When you lend a hand, you experience yourself as capable, connected, and useful. It reminds you that you still have something to offer — even on hard days.