Simple acts of kindness can boost your wellbeing – here are the top 10

The Goodness Exchange

Passersby in Battersea pledged to do good at The Goodness Exchange (Image: PinPep)

More than half of Brits say cooking a meal for someone is the ultimate act of kindness. Helping an elderly neighbour, carrying heavy bags and fixing something were also seen as meaningful gestures.

However, according to the research of 2,000 adults commissioned by protein shake brand, For Goodness Shakes Gen Z favoured less traditional good deeds, like leaving a positive comment online, sending a voice note to check in or letting someone go first on gym equipment.

By contrast, Boomers consider giving up your seat on public transport, holding the door open for someone and helping a friend move or with errands as more significant.

The Goodness Exchange

Good deeds can improve your wellbeing and reduce stress (Image: PinPep)

With almost nine in 10 (89%) of those surveyed believing the UK could benefit from more kindness, the For Goodness Shakes set out to give Brits a boost.

At the brand’s recent The Goodness Exchange at Battersea Power Station, participants signed a pledge to do good in a bid to spread more kindness across the country and were gifted with protein shakes in exchange.

Anjula Mutanda, a TV psychologist who was on hand to encourage acts of kindness with For Goodness Shakes, said it was “fascinating to see how acts of kindness continue to evolve with each generation” but stressed that, at heart, they still come back to “the same hard-wired desire to connect, express support and look out for one another”.

She added that “it’s often the simplest gestures that can make the biggest difference”, arguing that kindness can be as important for our mental wellbeing as good food is for physical health.

She explained that performing kind acts can trigger the brain to release “feel good” chemicals such as dopamine and oxytocin, which are linked to pleasure and reward and “play an integral part in helping to boost mood, reduce stress and create a sense of satisfaction”.

In short,: “So, in doing good, we feel good too!”

The Goodness Exchange

Nine in ten respondents believe the UK could benefit from more kindness (Image: PinPep)

Nine in ten believe it’s important to be kind to people they don’t know, while 83% said random acts of kindness improve their mood for the rest of the day.

But it’s not just the recipient who benefits, 85% are confident there are mental and physical health benefits to sharing the love according to the OnePoll figures.

Meanwhile, 85% say that feeling good within yourself leads to more positive interactions with others, with 53% of those claiming it makes you more approachable.

Many people reported it also helps encourage kindness in others too. More than half (57%) claim they are more likely to carry out an act of kindness if someone else does as well.

For those in need of a boost, acts of kindness are most commonly experienced while out on a walk, at home or on public transport.

Philippa Milburn, brand manager at For Goodness Shakes, added: “We recognise that doing good starts with feeling good, it can be as simple as making sure we get enough sleep, surrounding ourselves with the right people or ensuring our diet fuels us.”

“When we’re fuelled by nutritious ingredients and take care of our bodies, we set ourselves up positively for the day and are in a better position to show up for others too.”

“The Goodness Exchange is about proving that doing good can feel good too and reminding people that everyday moments of kindness – whether at home, on a walk or on public transport – are more important than ever.”