It starts with one person holding open a door for you. So you go out of your way to help a friend. Then your friend makes an effort to help his elderly neighbor with errands. And so it goes on and on.

Small random acts of kindness can make a big difference in someone’s day. And, being selfless has been associated with lowering stress. Managing stress can be good for your overall health because it can help you avoid or reduce habits like overeating, being sedentary, procrastinating, smoking or drinking too much alcohol.

Try it today. Here are a few ideas to get you started:

• Make a surprise dinner and deliver it unexpectedly to a new mom with a baby, a neighbor who just moved in or a sick friend. Publix Aprons has great easy-to-prepare recipes.
• Thank a teacher for caring or a veteran for their service. Let them know they make a difference.
• Be good to nature by planting a tree, picking up trash or helping your grandmother weed her garden.
• Compliment a co-worker for helping a customer find a product or sharing a recipe idea.
• Go short for a change and donate your hair to a foundation that makes wigs for cancer patients.
• Let someone go before you in line while you wait a little longer, if you’re not in a rush.
• Volunteer for a local non-profit. Charities appreciate your time even as much as a donation.
• Smile at 10 strangers. That’s right — 10 different people, 10 different places, 10 different times. Smile away, and you’ll make their day.

Source: heart.org, mayoclinichealthsystem.org