Kindness is something that everyone should strive to express throughout their life. Expressing kindness to others is a basic lesson that is commonly learned during childhood. There is no doubting that being kind can be difficult in certain situations, but sometimes it is necessary in order to be the “bigger person.”

It seems that kindness is steadily fading from modern society. The lack of generosity and friendliness that is evident today is shocking. It’s important to realize the positivity that kindness can produce in our lives. Kindness is ultimately a key contributor to happiness. Acting with kindness is a win-win. Not only can it provide someone with a sense of pride by acting kindly towards others, but it also has the potential to boost the confidence and provoke bliss in those around us.

“The Golden Rule” is so simplistic yet so incredibly relevant. This “rule” is taught at such a young age, but is extremely valuable, as it can apply to any generation over time. “The Golden Rule” states to treat others the way you want to be treated. Although it sounds naive and somewhat wishful, you would think that it wouldn’t be necessary to have this rule exist. Wouldn’t it be nice (no pun intended) for everyone to innately understand the concept of kindness? I think so, and I’m sure that you agree. People tend to be so rude and inconsiderate nowadays. Maybe we should all write “The Golden Rule” on our foreheads…that might help (haha).

It’s acceptable to have a bad day every now and then. I mean, who doesn’t? Yes, we are all guilty of exerting our anger towards our loved ones, and sometimes strangers (awkward) when we’re overwhelmed, angry, or frustrated. It happens, but we should strive to be more conscious of others’ feelings and think before we act. I, myself, am constantly trying to hold back my anger and bite my tongue. We all have our own issues, but we need to realize that being mean gets us nowhere. If anything, it takes us back a few steps and proves a weakness.

In my opinion, kindness is a quality that is contagious. When people notice others being kind, they become inspired themselves to act that way. I don’t think any feeling compares to the one experienced when seeing someone display kindness towards a stranger. Personally, when this type of encounter occurs, I find myself wanting to do the same. I want to make someone’s day. I want to be the reason that someone has a smile on their face. There really is nothing more rewarding.

“Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about”…completely true. The first time that I heard this quote was awhile ago, and it has tremendously impacted my perspective ever since. The outward appearance of an individual, whether it is their facial expression, the clothing they wear, or their weight, usually initiates judgment among viewers. This generation specifically, I believe, is very quick to judge.

We must all take a step back as our mind instinctively assumes an inaccurate reasoning behind the appearance. You really never know what a person is going through, so don’t judge them. Maybe their face always indicates anger based on what they’re dealing with at home. Maybe they don’t have the nicest clothes because their parents cannot sufficiently support them. Maybe they’re extremely thin, or overweight because they suffer from a disorder.

I can only anticipate that my words motivate you to be kind to everyone you encounter throughout your journey of life. There is one last thing that I want to leave you with; “Being kind does not have to cost a thing. Words are free, smiles are free, actions are free.”.