I believe in kindness. I believe that regardless of what path you take in life, kindness should never be overlooked. I believe kindness is the most basic value every human should practice without hesitating. I believe in simply being a damn kind human being.

It does not take a moron to realize that life can be unkind, both the people and the experiences you are dealt with. However I also believe the world is a kind place and that starts with you, me, and everyone individually on this earth. Sure, everyone has his or her once a month, I-feel-good-about-myself moments of kindness, but what does it even mean live kindly?

Smile

Yes this may seem a little predictable, but it’s because it is the truth! It’s been a proven fact time and time again that smiling can instantly improve your mood and therefore influence the way you may act. If anything, at least give off a friendly, inviting aura. No one wants to go to a coffee shop and be hit with a nasty stare as you take the seat next to someone. You do not have to pull out the seat and spot clean the table for every person you see, but remember a genuine smile cannot be mimicked.

Listen

One of the most underrated acts of kindness is simply to just listen. When anyone, whether it is a friend, a family member, or a clerk at a convenient store, is telling you something…engage! Be present and truly take a few minutes to not just sit there and hear words but actually convert the message in your brain, understand it and maybe respond. People know when you are sincerely listening to them and that itself, is meaningful…is kind!

Open your eyes

Literally open your eyes, yes, but also open your eyes and your mind and pay attention to what’s actually going on in the world around you. Many of us are accustomed to living our day-to-day in a little bubble but if you take a second to open your eyes, life is happening around you. Be proactive and see what you can do to make a difference. If you had the chance to make someone a little bit happier, wouldn’t you?

-Wave to a neighbor

-Call up an old friend to get lunch

-Put time in for someone’s expired meter

-Tell someone close to you that you appreciate them

There are so many easy acts of kindness you can do on a day-to-day basis by simply opening your eyes a little bit wider.

Forgive and forget

Remember this, live by this, and breathe by this. You cannot go around holding grudges against life every time you drop your coffee, (which I know is a SOS moment), or when you hear a harsh comment directed towards you.Letting go of these insignificant life errors will allow you to replace any hostile feelings or grudges with kindness. Whether it’s a person, or life just being flat out crappy, deal with it, accept it, learn from it, and move on. Being kind starts with is accepting that not everything is perfect and moving forward from that. Regardless of what you are dealing with or have dealt with, treat everyone with kindness. Kindness is contagious and people respond to it.

Life happens and it’s easy to lose yourself in negativity; but you don’t have to. Take a moment and think to yourself: I believe the world is a good place, I believe in kindness and most importantly, I believe in humankind.