YOUR 2025 BRAIN BRAWN • MINI RESOLUTION NOVEMBER SPECIAL EDITION

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World Kindness Day is coming up on November 13th, so let’s make plans to change some of the negative energy permeating the news and social media outlets by finding ways to be kind.
 
Read on to discover how kindness can positively impact brain health, and for a list of ideas for showing kindness to others!
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Being Kind to Your Mind and to All of Humankind
 
"Happiness is the new rich. Inner peace is the new success. Health is the new wealth. Kindness is the new cool."
 
—Syed Balkhi

Kindness doesn't only benefit the recipient of the act. Science tells us being kind to others actually imparts health benefits upon the bestowed, in part by redirecting negative thoughts and emotions into positive ones, by:

• increasing serotonin production, leading to feelings of calm and enhanced self-esteem
• increasing production of oxytocin (AKA the love hormone), which can lower blood pressure
• reducing cortisol production, the stress hormone, which we know from September’s Motivated Mondays is neurodegenerative
• increasing production of nitric oxide, which dilates blood vessels lowering blood pressure

 
As important as the immediate benefits are to you and the recipient of your behavior, kind behavior begets more kind behavior. As American Author Scott Adams said, "Remember there’s no such thing as a small act of kindness. Every act creates a ripple with no logical end."


How will you celebrate World Kindness Day?
 
 
Take a look at our acts of kindness list below and develop your plan for November 13th’s World Kindness Day.
 
Use our log to write down your ideas, and to continue logging our past mini resolutions!

27 Acts of Kindness
 
To help you get started, here are a few ideas that vary from simple acts to going the extra mile, (listed in no particular order):

• Let someone jump ahead of you in line at the store.
• Leave a big tip for your server, barista, hairdresser, or other service people.
• Pay for the coffee of the person behind you in line.
• Add time to others’ expired meters.
• Write cards to seniors in nursing homes.
• Start a local collection for neighbors in need.
• Encourage your children or grandchildren to donate their toys to collections for underprivileged children.
• Make a meal for a local single parent or offer free babysitting for a night.
• Invite an elderly neighbor to join your family for dinner. This can make a big impact as you may recall from our August micro resolution, which focused on loneliness and social isolation.
• Offer to complete an errand for a neighbor.
• Write notes to our servicemen and women.
• Give a compliment to a stranger.
• Volunteer with your local food bank.
• Cook up extra portions of meals and share them with an elderly neighbor.
• Provide a meal or snacks to your local fire department.
• Clean out your closets and donate items to the Salvation Army or a local charity of your choice.
• Walk someone’s shopping cart back for them.
• Allow cars to merge in front of you.
• Volunteer to walk dogs at your local animal shelter.
• Donate old towels, blankets, stacks of newspapers and cleaning supplies to a local animal shelter.
• Bake cookies for the office (or if you live in an apartment building, for the building staff or your neighbors).
• Donate time to clean up your local park, beach, etc., on your own or with a local volunteer organization.
• Hold open the door or elevator.
• Offer to take a neighbor’s dog for a walk.
• Offer to wash a neighbor’s car.
• Donate blood (if you are able).
• Give up your seat on the bus, train, subway, etc.

See you next week as we start a new mini resolution using expressions of gratitude to stave off cognitive decline!