I believe that people are born good. People are brought onto this earth with the best of intentions toward the world. Everyone is good, but some have to dig deeper to find this goodness inside of them. The world today gives us every reason to be the opposite of good natured people, but it is important that we find the strength inside ourselves to fight the bad, and embrace the goodness, no matter how deeply placed it is within us. I think everyone could use a reminder (including myself), some more than others, about what it means to embrace the goodness and fight against the cruel world and its influences on you to embrace the bad instead. If you believe that right now, you need a little reminding yourself, you are in luck! Because today, I am going to give you seven different tips and ways to be a decent human being, ones that I try and practice myself.

1.Accept those as they are.

Everyone is different. And I mean lets be honest, if everyone was the same wouldn’t life be super boring? No one is perfect, and it is not our job to “fix” anyone into becoming what we'd rather them be than what they are. Differences aside, no one deserves to be treated as they do not belong, or as if they are not wanted because of who they are. There is no worse feeling than not being accepted because of the way you look, the clothes you wear, the abilities you lack, or the disabilities you have. At the end of the day, we are all the same, despite who we are on the inside, as well as the outside, and it is only right that we accept those as they are.

2. Hold the door for someone.

I mean people, come on how hard can it really be to hold the door for someone? Once and a while, I am guilty of letting my mood get the best of me and not stopping to hold the door for the person following behind me, but I certainly feel guilty afterward. I don’t know about you guys, but when someone holds the door for me, even when I much more farther back than the door is, I find it heartwarming (as well as kind of awkward because you feel like you have to walk faster so their arm doesn't start to burn and then you're completely out of breath as you're thanking them). The fact that someone took the time to stop and hold a door for you, especially in the world today when everyone is rushing around moving to fast to enjoy life, is a magical thing. So I challenge you to hold the door for someone today, no matter how far back they are, because I guarantee you, it will make their day.

3. Call once in a while.

Texting or all the forms of social media that exist today, are the most convenient way to communicate with someone. But I want you all to remember that your phones also do have a call option. You can call someone and hear their voice in real time, it’s amazing, you should try it! No but really, call once in a while. When someone calls you, it shows they care, and that they made time out of their day to hear your voice, rather than to take the easy way out and just read your words. Texting allows for time to reflect and formulate the perfect response, it is sometimes useful for avoiding situations or awkward conversations. But when you talk to someone in real time, whether it be in person or over the phone, there is no time for lies, excuses or avoidance, you actually have to talk in the moment, you actually have to be real with what you say (unless you just sit there creating a dead silence while you pause to formulate a response and prepare a few notecards before continuing on your end of the conversation). No but really, call once in a while, I dare you!

4. Ask someone like you mean it, and listen because you care.

Whenever someone asks me how I am, I usually respond, “Good, how are you?”, and I am sure that is what most of you all do as well. IT is out of habit, we assume that they will say good and it is almost as if we have a response ingrained so deep into our brain that it rolls off the tongue just like our own name does, so easily and so rehearsed. Imagine a world where people actually told you how they were feeling. Like, “I’m feeling pretty down today” or “Pretty sucky”. A world where we would actually have to further the conversation and really listen to what they have to say. Oh, the horror! A conversation is meant to be more than just a quick exchange of a couple words and then it ends. A conversation is meant to be purposeful. We are meant to listen and wait for a response, actually comprehend what someone is saying, not just hear the words and leave it at that. Please, please, please, do not just ask someone how they are because it is the “polite thing to do”. When you ask someone how they are, ask it because you genuinely care, actually listen to their response.

5. Stop holding grudges.

Hannah Montana said it herself, “Everybody makes mistakes. Everybody has those days.”. People mess up. People make mistakes, it is only human to do so (don’t forget to cut the animals some slack , they make mistakes just too). Pencils have an eraser for a reason. When you mess up, you take the eraser, get rid of the wrong, and learn from it, putting your pencil back down and trying again. Mistakes are going to happen, and we need to practice forgiveness when they do. It is most definitely easier said than done, but we need to stop holding grudges, it brings about negative vibes and suggests to people that there is no second chances, one and done, the eraser on the pencil no longer exists. Holding a grudge will not benefit you in anyway, nor will it make the mistakes that were made disappear. Stop holding grudges, just forgive, forget and move on.

6. Never make someone feel guilty for the choices they make.

Every person makes decisions in life, no matter how big or small, that are in their best interests. There is no purpose in worrying about the choices others make, and there is especially no need to make people feel that the choices they make ar the wrong ones. We must remember that to each their own, and we must believe that the choices people make are made with the best of intentions. Ones should ever feel guilty about the choices they make, especially not in result of our doing.

7. Always choose kindness.

No matter how upset you are with someone, no matter how much anger you have built up inside, always choose kindness, it matters. You only live one life, and it is shorter than you can even imagine, and there is not enough time in the world to be wasting it on anything but kindness towards others. What do you get out of being mean or negative towards someone? If you ask me, I say absolutely nothing. Kindness goes a long way, and it is always the right thing to chose and the best path in life to follow.

I hope these tips provided you all some insight into my idea of what it means to be a decent human, and I challenge you all to start doing these things right now. Hold the door for someone, call your mom instead of texting her , when you ask your friend how their day was, ask because you truly want to know, and listen because you care. Never make someone feel like the choice they made is the wrong one, and most importantly, always, always, always choose kindness.