How to Get Rid of Anxiety in Minutes

Anxiety and social awkwardness are not new feelings for many of us. Even the most confident people in the world experience an occasional bout of nerves that cause them to behave in a way that makes them uncomfortable. However, new research shows that one of the best ways to relieve anxiety and relax is to be nice. It’s really that simple. Doing something nice for someone else at least once a day is the easiest way imaginable to boost your mood, lower your level of anxiety, and make you more comfortable. Here are a few little things you can do on a regular basis to be nice to others to benefit yourself.

Buy your friend, husband, partner, coworker, or whoever else their favorite latte when you stop at the coffee shop one morning.

Make eye contact and smile at strangers in the supermarket, department store, or at a restaurant.

Offer to stay late and help a friend clean up after a get together or a play date so they don’t have to do it alone; after all, you helped make the mess in the first place.

Let someone merge into your lane in traffic by waving them on. No one likes to get stuck in traffic; imagine how good it makes you feel when someone lets you in, and then do the same for someone else.

Give your waiter a tip that’s way too big. When someone does an excellent job, it’s always nice to make sure they know they did one, and you can do that by leaving them a huge tip. Way more than the standard 15 to 20 percent.

Drive a friend to the airport and help her cart her 15 pieces of luggage from the car to her airline’s check in kiosk. She’ll appreciate the help and the fact that she doesn’t have to pay to park her car at the airport for the next few days.