Some Helpful Definitions:
Nice: pleasant; agreeable; satisfactory.
Kind: having a friendly, generous, and considerate nature.
Ladies and Gentlemen, this is where I will impart my life changing advice: We need to stop being “too nice”. I think we often confuse niceness with kindness, but they are two completely different things. For example: Niceness is when you try to please another person, so you go out of your way to be and do exactly what they want. Kindness is when you do something for someone or treat someone the way you would want. Kindness is giving to those in need, loving others, and making people’s day with the small things. Goodness does not equal niceness, but kind people are generally considered good. See the difference? Here’s some of the reasons why I’m going to stop being nice:
1. People love to take advantage of you
You have a car? Great! Drive me everywhere I need to go! I know you will because you do not know how to say “no”. Can you help me with my homework, and you just kind of give me the answers? I know your work load is already full, but here’s some more because honestly, I do not want to do it. I lived with a person that would have me drive her to work 45 minutes away there and back, and would not pay me for gas, EVER. She also would go with us everywhere but would not pay for it, but in my mind I would say “be nice, someday the good karma will come back to you”. Note to self: Karma only comes from an act of kindness where you expect nothing from it.
2. You never get to pick where you go or where you get to eat
Subway, Chick-fila, and many others, but you don’t want to go anywhere their suggesting but you don’t want to seem too assertive if you say your piece. You also do not want to go to that mall, because there are no stores that you shop at, but the census is unanimous.
3. They think they can say awful things about you to others or even to your face
I get this all the time. People say things about me, and it gets around. I usually do not say anything, but when I started to confront them; they stopped. So, all you have to do is approach them in a calm manner and just explain how that hurt you. That’s not too bad, and that doesn’t make you an unkind person either. Just one that doesn’t tolerate unkindness.
4. People are surprised if you stand up for yourself
This is funny because people actually get offended when you make a comment back; or they say that you are being mean when you’re really not. They are just mad that they have nothing to say back.
So, let’s remember:
But that does not mean that you should let people walk all over you. You need to stand your ground and do what is good for you, just make sure that it does not hurt anybody else. Being too nice is a plague and the mean people of the world prey on the victims. You lovely people just make sure that you keep seeing all the good in the world, but be wary of the evil. Do not let others make you unkind, because you still can be one of the few lights in the world. Cinderella made the mistake of being “too nice” which is a mistake we all can make; but once you don’t let the unkind people let you treat you like crap, they can’t. Armed with your new sense of self-worth and kindness (not niceness), you can live happily ever after.
