Be the one who starts it

The studies on purpose keep finding the same thing: it runs through other people. Meaning tracks giving, not getting. And people who report a sense of purpose have somewhat lower rates of death and heart disease across large cohorts, about a sixth lower. Evidence: decent

Volunteering looks good in the surveys too, but the few proper trials of it didn't show much, so hold that one lightly. Evidence: decent

Being the one who starts it is the everyday version. It costs a text and some pride. It's also the most direct way out of the "what am I for" question, because the answer turns up while you're doing something.