Kickstart kindness in your life.

Have you ever wanted to be part of a movement or change the world? Now is your chance to cause a ripple effect that can affect your entire community while making you happier and healthier ― simply by being kind.

Kindness means harboring a spirit of helpfulness, being generous and considerate, and doing so without expecting anything in return.

Kindness has been shown to increase self-esteem, empathy and compassion, decrease anxiety and stress, and improve mood and relationships.

Join Mayo Clinic Health System to extend kindness to many aspects of life, including:

• Co-workers
• Community
• Environment
• Home and family
• Neighborhood
• School
• Yourself

Get started today

During this monthlong program, you will complete as many activities as you'd like from the list of nearly 100 ideas. Choose the activities that work best for you, and complete them when it works best for your schedule. You can participate on your own or with family, friends or a group of students.

The program presents many ways to be kind throughout your day, week, month, and beyond. The goal of this program is simple: You will bring kindness to others. The hope is that your actions will inspire others to be kind, too, causing a chain reaction of compassion, empathy and positivity.

Set a goal of the number of activities you will do each day or week.

Select the way to participate that works best for you:

• Checklist.
  Print or download the activity checklist. Check off acts of kindness as you complete them. To use the download as an interactive digital checklist, save it to your device or computer desktop. Go into the file to check off each activity, saving it every time you are done using the file.
• Slips.
  Print the activity sheet and cut out the activity slips. Place those you would consider doing into a container, such as a jar or basket. When it works for you, randomly draw a slip and complete the kindness activity.

Weekly reflection and resources

Week 1

Take a minute to reflect:

• As you get started, think about how you feel when someone does something kind for you. Does it make you feel good? Why?
• Reflect on bringing that joy to others as you are kind this next week.

Resources

• Watch: "The Science of Kindness."
• Watch: "Pub Fosterhjem: A Child Has Nothing to Eat at School."

Week 2

Take a minute to reflect:

• What was your favorite act of kindness last week? Why?
• Did you feel more connected to others as you completed acts of kindness?

Resources

• Watch: "Kid President Kindness."
• Watch: "Kindness ― Inspirational & Motivational Video."

Week 3

Take a minute to reflect:

• How did your body and your brain react during positive interactions?
• Did you feel your mood improve after you completed a kindness activity?

Resources

• Read: "The Art of Kindness."
• Watch: "Loving Kindness Meditation."

Week 4

Take a minute to reflect:

• Now that you have practiced kindness, do you find it easier to spot opportunities to extend kindness?
• What was the most impactful act of kindness that you did for someone? Why?
• How can you continue being kind after the challenge is complete?

Resources

• Watch: "Choose to be Kind (Kindness Is the Key)."
• Watch: "Kindness Boomerang 'One Day.'"