Being nice is not always easy. Sometimes people can really get under your skin, and being nice isn’t a natural response.

However, being nice is almost always the best strategy.

Being nice is worth the effort.

I’m not perfect and I know it. Sometimes I get impatient and cranky, and I sometimes I am not as nice as I wish I could be. I do, however, try to make a real effort to be nice. I think it just makes sense. Being nice to people is a way of showing them respect, and it helps me keep a positive attitude. It gives me peace in my heart when I know I went the extra step to offer kindness to someone else, especially when I didn’t want to.

Being nice matters.

Lindsay Holmes from the Huffington Post recently featured an article that shared 6 reasons that being nice is actually good for you.

A recap of her points are:

Being nice may actually be a natural behavior. In a study from the University of Buffalo, scientists found that some people may be born with certain genes that give you specific receptors to oxytocin and vasopressin — two hormones in your body that are associated with feelings of love and generosity.

Being nice could help you live longer. One hallmark of being nice is practicing charitable actions. When you’re helping someone, you’re not only bettering their lives, you may also be improving your own.

You’re happier when you are kind. Spreading kindness to others makes you feel better – even if it is in small doses, such as a few kind words, or holding the door for a stranger.

Kindness can boost your success factor. It pays to be kind: Those who are compassionate and better connect with other people’s emotions may be more successful at work. “People trust you more, they have better interactions with you, you even get paid better,” said Dacher Keltner, a professor at the University of California-Berkeley and co-director of the Greater Good Science Center.

Being nice may lower your stress levels. Fighting to reach the top can add stress and anxiety to your life. Believing in the concept that there is enough for everyone may give you a more peace-filled life.

Being nice just feels better. Being kind releases serotonin in your brain, giving you a warm-fuzzy feeling. This is a great thing and when you live in this zone, your days become brighter and your heart a little softer.

Being nice isn’t something we can be 100% of the time. It’s good to stand up for yourself it there is a problem, and handling conflict with an open and constructive dialogue is always best. Even in times of conflict, kindness is a winning choice.

Living life with a kind and gentle heart will give you, and others around you, a feeling of peace and acceptance.

You are worth it. Others in your life are worth it.

Being nice matters! 🙂 

Cheers!

Coach Brett Blair

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