Be Nice + Prosper

Someone falls down. What’s your first reaction? Is it to laugh and make jokes, or are you genuinely concerned for that person’s wellbeing? Now, we are not here to start the great debate over whether either one of those responses are right because that is not the point. The point is your heart in however you choose to respond. Where are you coming from? Is it a place of pride, envy, jealousy, caution, love? We need to find the root before we can even begin.

And, as a side note before we go too deep, we are not here to judge one another. That defeats everything. Starting there leaves you nowhere to go. Come from a place of love and understanding. Let’s proceed.

I think being nice has become completely skewed. It’s not being a pushover. It’s not hating someone because they disagree with something you believe in. No, no, that is all wrong. Being nice has to have a base in love. Does that mean never standing up for yourself? Absolutely not. You are allowed to have emotions and opinions just like every other person on this planet. The difference is are you coming from a place of love or something else?

Being nice is badass in the most innocent way. It is a choice we make. For most of us, it isn’t our first response, yet we choose to pursue it. Some of the nicest people I have ever met in my life has gone through some dark times. They don’t want to make others feel what they had to feel therefore they try their hardest to prevent that. Being nice, in its genuine form, is 100% intentional and honest.

“No matter what happens in life, be nice to people. Being nice to people is a peaceful way to live and a beautiful legacy to leave behind.”

That is not to say being nice can’t be tough love or brutally honest words. Looking out for someone’s well being, even when it means telling them or responding to them in a way they do not like, is a courtesy to them in the long run. Learning the delicate art of being both is the mark of a truly refined human.

In the end, we are all human and we’re all simultaneously great and awful. It’s okay to lend each other some grace. It’s okay to be nice, you are not weak for it. Life isn’t about winning or losing, it’s not a race to get to the end. Enjoy the journey and all the people you will meet. Smile. Laugh. Be outrageously brave. Don’t let fear run your life. Choose how to respond. Reach out in love and kindness. The world will be a better place because of it.