{"id":4842,"date":"2026-05-17T12:07:44","date_gmt":"2026-05-17T12:07:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/olioapp.com\/en\/?p=4842"},"modified":"2026-05-14T12:09:52","modified_gmt":"2026-05-14T12:09:52","slug":"how-kindness-can-boost-mental-health","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/olioapp.com\/en\/our-community\/how-kindness-can-boost-mental-health\/","title":{"rendered":"\u00a0How kindness can boost our mental health"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Kindness. It\u2019s a word we hear all the time, but what does it really mean?&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At its core, kindness is about choosing to do something positive, whether for ourselves or someone else, simply because we want to make a difference.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"> It\u2019s not about big gestures, but about intention, connection, and the small decisions we make every day to make life a little better for ourselves, the people around us, and for the planet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Listening when a friend is having a rough day. Noticing someone&#8217;s arms are full and offering a hand. Sharing something you no longer need with a neighbour, even a stranger. These moments might feel ordinary, but they build something real: connection, trust, and a sense of belonging.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why kindness makes us feel good<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">There&#8217;s real science behind that warm feeling you get after doing something nice for someone else. <a href=\"https:\/\/unlimitedloveinstitute.org\/downloads\/ITS-GOOD-TO-BE-GOOD-2014-Biennial-Scientific-Report-On-Health-Happiness-Longevity-And-Helping-Others.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Research shows<\/a> that helping others promotes changes in the brain linked to happiness \u2013 it literally makes us feel better.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Kindness is also a natural antidote to loneliness and isolation. It helps us forge a sense of belonging, relieve stress, build new friendships, and boost self-esteem. When we help someone going through a difficult time, we often gain a new perspective on our own situation \u2013 and find ourselves feeling more positive as a result.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That sense of purpose matters too. Giving time, whether through volunteering or simply sharing what we no longer need, can deepen how meaningful our lives feel. Overall, acts of kindness have been shown to improve our feelings of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.researchgate.net\/publication\/262725937_Can_Gratitude_and_Kindness_Interventions_Enhance_Well-being_in_a_Clinical_Sample\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">confidence, happiness, and optimism<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Kindness is contagious<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Kindness doesn\u2019t only affect individuals &#8211; it strengthens entire communities. It deepens solidarity, builds trust and reminds us that we\u2019re part of something larger than ourselves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/psycnet.apa.org\/record\/2015-21350-001\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Research shows<\/a> that when someone experiences an act of kindness, they&#8217;re more likely to pass it on \u2013 contributing to something more positive and connected around them. Acts of kindness build trust, deepen solidarity, and remind us that we&#8217;re part of something larger than ourselves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">One small action really can ripple outwards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What this looks like on Olio<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Every day, we <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mentalhealth.org.uk\/about-us\/news\/community-sharing-app-delivers-mental-health-and-wellbeing-benefits-survey-finds\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">see this across the Olio community<\/a>. Someone lists an item they no longer need. A neighbour collects them. A quick thank-you message. A familiar face at the door.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">These moments feel small. But they make people feel good.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph\"><em>&#8220;Some weeks, my mental health and breathing issues keep me stuck at home, and it can feel really isolating. Finding Olio has made such a difference. Being able to give, share, and connect here makes me feel useful and part of something bigger. It really lifts my spirits.&#8221; <\/em><strong>Robert from London<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left wp-block-paragraph\">That&#8217;s exactly why we&#8217;ve partnered with the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.mentalhealth.org.uk\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Mental Health Foundation<\/a> this May: to raise vital funds for mental health support by doing what our <a href=\"https:\/\/olioapp.com\/en\/our-community\/how-community-can-support-our-mental-health\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">community<\/a> already does every day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Everyday acts of kindness (that cost nothing)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Mental Health Foundation recommends starting small, so we don&#8217;t give more than we can manage. Here are a few ways to practise a little more kindness this week:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2611\ufe0f Smile or say hello to a neighbour you pass on the street<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2611\ufe0f Check in on someone who might need a hand<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2611\ufe0f Call a friend you&#8217;ve been meaning to catch up with<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u2611\ufe0f Share something you no longer need with someone nearby through Olio<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Together, these small actions can make a real difference \u2013 to someone else&#8217;s day, and your own.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Declutter for Good<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Until 31st May, every non-food listing you add on Olio can help raise money for the Mental Health Foundation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When you add a non-food item, you&#8217;ll see a donation tick box on your listing page. If you&#8217;re on app version 2.19 or above, it&#8217;s switched on by default \u2013 simply toggle it off if you&#8217;d prefer not to take part. If you&#8217;re on an older version, you&#8217;ll need to toggle it on to opt in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Once your item is marked as pick-up arranged, you and your collector will both receive an automated message inviting you to donate to the Foundation directly. Any amount is welcome.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Or if you&#8217;d like to support the Mental Health Foundation without decluttering, you can donate directly below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-content-justification-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-buttons-is-layout-fe48e5de wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/pages.olioex.com\/mental-health-foundation\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Donate to the Mental Health Foundation<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Learn more about our partnership <a href=\"https:\/\/help.olioapp.com\/en\/articles\/14853047-declutter-for-good-our-partnership-with-mental-health-foundation\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">here<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Kindness. It\u2019s a word we hear all the time, but what does it really mean?&nbsp; At its core, kindness is&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":32,"featured_media":4843,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"content-type":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[12],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4842","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-our-community"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.9 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>\u00a0How kindness can boost our mental health - Olio | At Home<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Discover how small acts of kindness can boost wellbeing, strengthen communities, and support mental health \u2014 plus simple ways to spread kindness through everyday sharing on Olio.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/olioapp.com\/en\/our-community\/how-kindness-can-boost-mental-health\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"\u00a0How kindness can boost our mental health - Olio | At Home\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Discover how small acts of kindness can boost wellbeing, strengthen communities, and support mental health \u2014 plus simple ways to spread kindness through everyday sharing on Olio.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/olioapp.com\/en\/our-community\/how-kindness-can-boost-mental-health\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Olio | At Home\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-05-17T12:07:44+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/olioapp.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1\/2026\/05\/kindness-mental-health-blog.png\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1000\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"600\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/png\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"neringamikutyte\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"neringamikutyte\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/olioapp.com\\\/en\\\/our-community\\\/how-kindness-can-boost-mental-health\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/olioapp.com\\\/en\\\/our-community\\\/how-kindness-can-boost-mental-health\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"neringamikutyte\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/olioapp.com\\\/en\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/09978905fa5acc1bbf026d97d25a2688\"},\"headline\":\"\u00a0How kindness can boost our mental health\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-05-17T12:07:44+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/olioapp.com\\\/en\\\/our-community\\\/how-kindness-can-boost-mental-health\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":721,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/olioapp.com\\\/en\\\/our-community\\\/how-kindness-can-boost-mental-health\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/olioapp.com\\\/en\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/1\\\/2026\\\/05\\\/kindness-mental-health-blog.png\",\"articleSection\":[\"Our community\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/olioapp.com\\\/en\\\/our-community\\\/how-kindness-can-boost-mental-health\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/olioapp.com\\\/en\\\/our-community\\\/how-kindness-can-boost-mental-health\\\/\",\"name\":\"\u00a0How kindness can boost our mental health - Olio | At Home\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/olioapp.com\\\/en\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/olioapp.com\\\/en\\\/our-community\\\/how-kindness-can-boost-mental-health\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/olioapp.com\\\/en\\\/our-community\\\/how-kindness-can-boost-mental-health\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/olioapp.com\\\/en\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/1\\\/2026\\\/05\\\/kindness-mental-health-blog.png\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-05-17T12:07:44+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/olioapp.com\\\/en\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/09978905fa5acc1bbf026d97d25a2688\"},\"description\":\"Discover how small acts of kindness can boost wellbeing, strengthen communities, and support mental health \u2014 plus simple ways to spread kindness through everyday sharing on Olio.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/olioapp.com\\\/en\\\/our-community\\\/how-kindness-can-boost-mental-health\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/olioapp.com\\\/en\\\/our-community\\\/how-kindness-can-boost-mental-health\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/olioapp.com\\\/en\\\/our-community\\\/how-kindness-can-boost-mental-health\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/olioapp.com\\\/en\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/1\\\/2026\\\/05\\\/kindness-mental-health-blog.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/olioapp.com\\\/en\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/sites\\\/1\\\/2026\\\/05\\\/kindness-mental-health-blog.png\",\"width\":1000,\"height\":600},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/olioapp.com\\\/en\\\/our-community\\\/how-kindness-can-boost-mental-health\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/olioapp.com\\\/en\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"\u00a0How kindness can boost our mental health\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/olioapp.com\\\/en\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/olioapp.com\\\/en\\\/\",\"name\":\"Olio | At Home\",\"description\":\"Don\u2019t need it? Olio it.\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/olioapp.com\\\/en\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/olioapp.com\\\/en\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/09978905fa5acc1bbf026d97d25a2688\",\"name\":\"neringamikutyte\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"\u00a0How kindness can boost our mental health - Olio | At Home","description":"Discover how small acts of kindness can boost wellbeing, strengthen communities, and support mental health \u2014 plus simple ways to spread kindness through everyday sharing on Olio.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/olioapp.com\/en\/our-community\/how-kindness-can-boost-mental-health\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"\u00a0How kindness can boost our mental health - Olio | At Home","og_description":"Discover how small acts of kindness can boost wellbeing, strengthen communities, and support mental health \u2014 plus simple ways to spread kindness through everyday sharing on Olio.","og_url":"https:\/\/olioapp.com\/en\/our-community\/how-kindness-can-boost-mental-health\/","og_site_name":"Olio | At Home","article_published_time":"2026-05-17T12:07:44+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1000,"height":600,"url":"https:\/\/olioapp.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1\/2026\/05\/kindness-mental-health-blog.png","type":"image\/png"}],"author":"neringamikutyte","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"neringamikutyte","Est. reading time":"4 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/olioapp.com\/en\/our-community\/how-kindness-can-boost-mental-health\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/olioapp.com\/en\/our-community\/how-kindness-can-boost-mental-health\/"},"author":{"name":"neringamikutyte","@id":"https:\/\/olioapp.com\/en\/#\/schema\/person\/09978905fa5acc1bbf026d97d25a2688"},"headline":"\u00a0How kindness can boost our mental health","datePublished":"2026-05-17T12:07:44+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/olioapp.com\/en\/our-community\/how-kindness-can-boost-mental-health\/"},"wordCount":721,"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/olioapp.com\/en\/our-community\/how-kindness-can-boost-mental-health\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/olioapp.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1\/2026\/05\/kindness-mental-health-blog.png","articleSection":["Our community"],"inLanguage":"en"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/olioapp.com\/en\/our-community\/how-kindness-can-boost-mental-health\/","url":"https:\/\/olioapp.com\/en\/our-community\/how-kindness-can-boost-mental-health\/","name":"\u00a0How kindness can boost our mental health - Olio | At Home","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/olioapp.com\/en\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/olioapp.com\/en\/our-community\/how-kindness-can-boost-mental-health\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/olioapp.com\/en\/our-community\/how-kindness-can-boost-mental-health\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/olioapp.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1\/2026\/05\/kindness-mental-health-blog.png","datePublished":"2026-05-17T12:07:44+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/olioapp.com\/en\/#\/schema\/person\/09978905fa5acc1bbf026d97d25a2688"},"description":"Discover how small acts of kindness can boost wellbeing, strengthen communities, and support mental health \u2014 plus simple ways to spread kindness through everyday sharing on Olio.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/olioapp.com\/en\/our-community\/how-kindness-can-boost-mental-health\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/olioapp.com\/en\/our-community\/how-kindness-can-boost-mental-health\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en","@id":"https:\/\/olioapp.com\/en\/our-community\/how-kindness-can-boost-mental-health\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/olioapp.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1\/2026\/05\/kindness-mental-health-blog.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/olioapp.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/1\/2026\/05\/kindness-mental-health-blog.png","width":1000,"height":600},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/olioapp.com\/en\/our-community\/how-kindness-can-boost-mental-health\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/olioapp.com\/en\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"\u00a0How kindness can boost our mental health"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/olioapp.com\/en\/#website","url":"https:\/\/olioapp.com\/en\/","name":"Olio | At Home","description":"Don\u2019t need it? Olio it.","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/olioapp.com\/en\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/olioapp.com\/en\/#\/schema\/person\/09978905fa5acc1bbf026d97d25a2688","name":"neringamikutyte"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/olioapp.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4842","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/olioapp.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/olioapp.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/olioapp.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/32"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/olioapp.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4842"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/olioapp.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4842\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4846,"href":"https:\/\/olioapp.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4842\/revisions\/4846"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/olioapp.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4843"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/olioapp.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4842"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/olioapp.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4842"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/olioapp.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4842"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}