In the past year or so, I have grown connected to the concept of kindness. It’s an easy thing to overlook but is something incredibly important to which you must commit yourself. We are surrounded by so much hostility as of late and it becomes incredibly draining. I have started to consciously motivate myself to channel kindness in everything I do. It has changed the way I interact with others and I’ve definitely emotionally benefitted from it more than I originally anticipated.

Admittedly, this was hard to do at first. I was under the impression that being slightly cold or hostile was easier to do than force myself to put an effort into being kind. I think a lot of people operate in this way and it can wear on the mental health of you and those around you. Hostility causes you to feel tired at the end of the day or after having any basic social interaction. You may not be able to put your finger on why, but once you evaluate those interactions, it all starts to add up.

My resolution to commit to kindness changed all of this. I noticed that I became closer to my friends, I spent more time laughing, and I had the energy to go about my day and do whatever it was I had planned. I was constantly going -- something I had never experienced before. At first, I didn’t realize that something as simple as just being nice would change my attitude and my energy levels as a result.

After looking into the actual impact of developing this habit, I found that feeling more energetic and connected to others isn't the only benefit. Being nice may also help you live longer. Researchers followed a group of 500 elderly people between ages 70 and 103 years old for 10 years. Those who were kinder in their social circles tended to live longer than those who weren’t. Kindness breaks the cycle of stress that we’re constantly experiencing from school, work and other commitments. It mitigates tension so we can live more freely. This finding made everything click in my head and motivated me even further.

Of course, it would be dishonest of me to say that I haven’t broken the habit a few times since I began, but even just having the intention in the back of my mind allows me to quickly get back on track. Being kind could reshape the way you live your life and the way you connect with those around you in such a way that brings more positivity.

As I continue to meet new people and develop relationships, kindness becomes something that I encourage amongst those around me. Simple things like giving out genuine and unique compliments or a smile more could make all the difference to someone. Not only does kindness generally make you a better person, but it makes the environment in which you live lighter and happier, too. It doesn’t come all at once, but it’s definitely worth it in the end.