New year, new you? What does that even mean? Well, it can have very different meanings for very different people. Overall, changing one’s personality is not necessarily healthy nor possible; however, striving to be a better person is. As a matter of fact, people who show one act of kindness a day tend to be both happier and healthier people in the long run.

Scientific research proves that kindness actually alters the body’s chemistry, maximizing one’s lifespans. Thus, it is merely the spread of kindness that can give one extra years on Earth with their family and friends. As fantastic as this sounds, it only gets better. Kindness is one of the few things that anybody and everybody can do. Reminding oneself to show at least one act of kindness a day is quite easy to achieve. Here are some ideas to start:

1. Compliment someone. If you see someone in the halls that you do not know very well, give them a compliment. Perhaps it is the only one they will receive all day.
2. Invite the kid who sits alone at lunch to sit with you and your friends. It is always fun to get to know new people anyways. 
3. Hold the door open for someone. Although this is a simple act, it can mean a lot to someone who has had a tough day.
4. Thank someone who has been an amazing friend to you. It is always a good feeling to be appreciated.
5. Thank a teacher who you respect.
6. Be a good listener.
7. Offer advice to a friend in need. 
8. Take a friend out to lunch.
9. Make dinner for your parents. After a hard day of work, coming home to an already prepared meal will take the stress off of their backs (and probably work out in your favor too!).
10. Clean up someone else’s mess after lunch.

In a world where people are either “too harsh” or “too sensitive,” kill them with kindness. It oftens feels like the world today is constantly entangled in the lives of others through social media and even in the real world. So why not focus your time on improving your own life, your own happiness, and your own health? And in turn, this results in the kindness effect, or the idea that by showing others kindness, they too will strive for this type of personal peace. Spencer Richmond (11) explained that, “Whenever I do a good deed, I feel like it rubs off on the people around me, putting us all in a better mood.”

The moral of the story is that everyone is going through something, big or small, and the satisfaction of putting a smile on someone’s face gives the mind and the soul of the human body a reason to live a long, happy, and healthy life. So try it out yourself. Try kindness.