What Happened To Being Nice?

The world feel so cooked...

We are in a really weird time.

Negativity has always made for bigger news and been more popular than being positive, but I find myself constantly asking whether humanity has the ability to be kind anymore?

People are quicker to laugh than to give a helping hand. Society is quicker to condemn, rather than show compassion. You’re more likely to be abused than to have someone tell you “have a nice day”.

I’m not sure where exactly things changed, but it feels like we took a wrong turn a long time ago. The sat-nav then failed to recalibrate and maybe we are too far gone. That’s sad right?

I don’t think anyone can be under any illusion that life is tough right now. We are existing in a time where the powers that be are more blatant with their atrocities than ever before. We are so desensitised that witnessing gruesome horrors feels normal and we don’t flinch.

Over the last few days, I’ve seen an odd trend on social commentary. Rather than wishing better for people, masses of people are laughing or making fun of serious situations.

It made me reflect on my own standing and how I play my own part within my community. I’m a firm believer that words have power and that how we show up for each other is one of the greatest things that can be experienced on earth.

Every other week, like clockwork, one of my closest friends sends me a message. It reads “how are you feeling?”. That single question gives me the space to gather my thoughts or just engage in a meaningful conversation.

It may seem like a small thing. But the impact? Massive.

Every Monday, I start the week by wishing everyone on my socials a great week with a message of encouragement. For what it’s worth, I started it because I felt I needed to speak life over myself & maybe others needed the same.

I’m not claiming to be perfect and nor am I saying that this is the blueprint. But imagine if we all took one moment to be compassionate to our loved ones and our neighbours.

Would anyone’s cup be empty if we all poured a little into each other?

How powerful could one small smile on the tube be in the midst of heads down and headphones turned up to the max?

No one benefits when everyone is mean. Like Dave said on his last album, we are all alone in this together. Maybe we should make it easier for each other.

If you’ve read this far, maybe you feel the same and want to see change. I don’t have the answers, but here are 5 small actions I believe you could take to benefit those around you this week.

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Call that friend who has felt distant - Let them know that you’re thinking of them. When people are pulling away, sometimes they just need a lifeline.

Start a conversation on how people are feeling in your GC - Sometimes having the platform is more important than actually speaking.

Wear a smile on your face - As crazy as it seems, someone seeing your smile might encourage them to wear theirs.

Lead with compassion and grace - There’s going to be a moment where something tests you this week. That’s inevitable. Rather than reacting and meeting it with the same energy, try and act with more compassion and grace than you usually do. Your actions may inspire someone else to change.

Pray for your friends - A true mark of doing for others is putting their needs before your own. In your meditation time, rather than asking for yourself, separate time and put others before you intentionally.

Hopefully, we get to a place where rather than asking what happened to being nice, we start recalling “remember when everyone was being mean?”