When feeling stressed, choosing to be generous activates the tend and befriend response to stress.

Alt text didn’t let me put all the text from the image: When you are feeling overwhelmed, look for a way to do something for someone else that goes beyond your daily responsibilities. Your brain might tell you that you don't have the time or energy, but that is exactly why...

...you should do it. You can also make this a daily practice-set a goal of finding an opportunity to support some one else. By doing so, you prime your body and brain to take positive action and to experience courage, hope, and connection.

Two strategies can amplify...

...the benefit of this practice. First, your brain's reward system will get a bigger boost from doing something new or unexpected than if you do the same kind act every day. Second, small acts can be just as powerful as grand gestures, so look for little things you can do...

...instead of waiting for the perfect moment to be magnanimous. I encourage my students to be creative in what they decide to be generous with. You can give others appreciation, your full attention, or even the benefit of the doubt. Like other mindset resets we've seen...

...such as remembering your values or rethinking your racing heart-it's a small choice that can have unexpectedly large effects on how you experience stress. (I used Google to copy text from image.)