We unfortunately live in a world where hatred, violence, and negativity are all too common. As a single individual, putting an end to all of it is out of our control. However, there is so much we can do to make sure we spread as much positivity and kindness as we can. That's where the power of a compliment comes into play.

The other day I was reading a few facts about my sign and I noticed it said "Libras love compliments". I thought, this couldn't be more true! Whenever I post pictures on social media of my artwork or share some of my articles, there is nothing I love more than the kind comments people leave me. When you're as self-conscious as I am, people don't realize how much their words truly mean to me. I told my friend about my horoscope and she said, "I agree, but who doesn't love a compliment?" This is so true. Who wouldn't love to hear something nice said about them? My friend always tells me whenever someone says something nice about me to her, and honestly, it makes my entire day.

I was scrolling through Instagram the other day with a different perspective. Instead of envying other people's photographs, I looked at the good in all of them. I thought about all the things I liked about these pictures--how gorgeous someone's hair looks, how much I like that outfit they have on, how cool it is that he/she is sharing their talents with everyone, etc. etc. Then I thought, if these things are running through my head, why not leave a nice comment? So I did. I left kind comments on a few stranger's posts. I was surprised how good I felt for doing so. It actually felt just as good giving a compliment as it does receiving one.

Since most of us are so active on social media, I urge you to try this out. It's a beautiful thing knowing you have the power to bring an ephemeral moment of happiness into someone's day. Don't limit yourself to written comments. If you see a stranger in a store and you like her lip color, say it. If you're out at a restaurant with live music and you enjoy the band playing, go up and tell them how great they are. If you can tell your mom's had a rough day at work, tell her she's glowing today. I think you get the idea.

Regardless of the immense amount of hatred and conflict going on in the world, we have to remember one thing--we are all human. You have no idea what someone is going through, how his/her day is going. If someone is spreading hatred, it could be stemming from something deeper. You never know--you're kind words could momentarily lessen that hatred and be the brightness that person needed most. Never underestimate the power of a compliment.