“If you have the choice  between being right or being kind, always choose to be kind.” -Wayne Dyer

In this time period where individuality is implemented, people forget kindness. They are mostly focused on their own individual needs and self, not thinking much about others. Even though independence and individual needs are important, kindness is more important. Kindness opens the door of good in oneself and allows a good heart to grow. When you have a good heart then you will be able to be kinder to yourself and others. When you can learn to be kind, nurture kindness, and show others kindness, you then will grow stronger and better. The kinder you are, the stronger you become. I know, many think kindness is a weakness, but actually it isn’t. It’s the strength manifesting in the behaviour that in whatever bad situation you are in or bad person you meet, you fight your ego and pride and be kind to them instead. This is real strength. Strength isn’t speaking up and saying whatever you want to say, that in fact is a weakness. Strength is to overcome your emotion and do the better good.

Kindness means that one knows that everyone is struggling. Everyone has a story, fighting a battle, and trying to survive in this harsh world. A person who is kind isn’t easily fooled by a smile, but understands the pain behind every smile. There are many people that gave up on others and just put a fake face on because they believe that no one will understand their pain and struggles. This world doesn’t have many kind people anymore which makes it harder on the people who are trying to survive, to be able to stay alive. We never know what a single word can do to someone. Many peoples words caused others to hurt themselves and even resort to committing suicide. In these times where anything you want to say is just a twitter, facebook or snapchat post away and you can send a message to anybody and everybody has led to more people bullying and criticizing others. There is a study that shows that people who are cyberbullied are 11.5 times more likely to commit sucide than verbal bullying which is 8.4 more likely. Nevertheless, both are very high numbers and hurtful, but what I am trying to show is that words matter more than you think and kindness is needed more than you think. 

You never know what that smile you gave to the boy walking his dog did, that greeting to the cashier did, the cookies you gave to your neighbors did, when you told your parents, spouses, and friends you love them did, all these things are small but make a huge difference and we should do that more often because in this time a lot of people don’t feel loved. Girls are comparing themselves to instagram models, men are trying to be more buff and manlier, older women are trying to get younger, all this competition in the world that just makes people feel like they aren’t enough. It’s so hurtful and sad. Why does anyone deserve to think that they aren’t enough? Why do other people’s opinions matter? The sad thing is these opinions of others made people be unkind to themselves, which leads to being unkind to others. However, the beautiful thing about kindness is that it can work both ways, if you are kind to others you then you can learn to be kind to yourself, and if you are kind to yourself it will also reflect on others. 

I had a friend that never stopped asking me how I’m doing. Not this normal “how are you?”. But this legit how is your mental health doing kinda thing. When we would go places and I’m laughing and making others laugh, she would give me this look that said, “I know you’re not okay.” She would smile at me and with her smile it said, “I’m proud of you.” I had another friend who was also like that, but this friend was with me the longest. She knew my whole life story. When things got hard she didn’t leave me alone and tried her best to help me. This friend was my lifesaver. I was able to survive and fight many battles because of this friend. There are many friends that I had, that if it wasn’t for their kindness and care I wouldn’t be alive actually. If they didn’t tell me nice things, if they didn’t remind me of the good in the world, I wouldn’t have been able to make it. Sadly all of these friends that helped me survive, are not really in my life anymore. But their words, memories, love, smiles, and tears will always forever be in my heart. It was a pretty long phase of my life, but everything sadly has an end. However that phase was the hardest yet most beautiful phase of my life. From them I learned that I needed to be kinder, needed to always try to be kind, and that I wanted to spread kindness and love the way they gave it out to me. 

So the point is be kind. Always be kind. To yourself always and to others. When you are kind to yourself you will spread good energy to others, for example you will spread good energy to your friends and family, which will lead to a better, happier, and healthier relationships. Your family and friends need your kindness the most, if everyone in the world is kind to their family and friends then this world would be a beautiful place, but sadly friends and family sometimes aren’t kind or forget to be kind which is why strangers need your kindness too. Kindness will open many doors for you, it will take you beautiful places both inside and out. You will ALWAYS feel good after being kind and you will always grow better the more kind you get. Remember everyone is fighting a battle and you never know what your word will do. “If you have the choice  between being right or being kind, always choose to be kind.” -Wayne Dyer