A Reason to be Nice

Good reasons to keep being nice:

1. Remember that the other person is you. You know how you can so easily identify what’s up with others (he’s so angry, she’s so emotional, he’s depressed, she’s sad, etc)? That is because what we see in others is the mirror image of ourselves. We see joy when we are joyful, we see pain when we are in pain. How many people do you see each day who are joyful? And how many many do you see each day who are sad, dejected, or depressed? Just think about how many people are struggling – just like you. Think about how many people could use a smile, a kindness, a hand, or someone being nice to them and how it would make them feel, just like it would make you feel. Be nice because the other person is you.

2. I remember a song that said, “cause there’s not enough love to go round…” but it’s not true. There is enough love to go around and it starts with you. Being nice shifts energy, it makes the space around you nice as well and love is definitely going to be more drawn to a place where there is kindness than to a place of spite, hatefulness or unkindness. Be nice because it's contagious.

3. What goes around comes around. If you want people to be nice – be nicer. The nicer you are, the more people are forced to be nice. Only this niceness requires some serious commitment. You can't renege on it the first time (or even the 10th time) someone doesn’t reciprocate in kind. The great thing is that niceness and kindness always prevail. Those who disagree can’t keep up against it forever; they will start to feel uncomfortable around the fact that you persist in kindness, and either they will change or they will not come around. But either way, goodness, kindness, niceness – these are things that go around and come around. It’s worth the investment. Be nice because what you give out comes back to you.


4. Because you really can change the world, one action at a time. Sometimes there is just not enough hope in everyday life, but random acts of kindness are a great way to find hope in the darkness. Be nice because you are the change you want to be.


So, don’t stop being nice. In fact, go out of your way to be nicer, kinder, better to your fellow human beings. Sometimes life is tough. A smile or a kindness can go a long way to helping all of us get through the tough stuff with more grace, more strength and more happiness.

Blessings

- Darshan

© 2009 Darshan F Jessop