Key points

Random acts of kindness provide many health and well-being benefits, according to research.

It turns out that even a small kindness, like a smile, can make a difference.

The writer Franz Kafka is a notable example of how random acts of kindness can have a lasting impact.

The research on random acts of kindness is more compelling than I realized. At first, I dismissed the idea as a catchy bumper sticker, but there is more substance than I had originally thought. It turns out that it makes a difference—and a measurable difference in the quality of our lives, both for the giver of the random acts and the receiver. The research is impressive: It can help reduce depression and anxiety , it stimulates serotonin, it produces oxytocin , which is helpful if you are feeling anxi

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