My mum raised me right so you will always get a hello and thank you from me − it’s basic manners. But if you’ve ever been out to dinner with me, or shared an Uber ride, you’ll know I always go for the extra “Have a great night”, “Enjoy your weekend” or even “ I really like your music/hair/sweater” (if it’s true). I once had a friend ask me why I’m always so nice to people (the whole you’ll never see them again and stuff) and I was really caught off guard because, WHY WOULDN’T I BE?

It LITERALLY (and I don’t use that word lightly) costs nothing to be nice. Zero. Squat. $0.00.

Here a four FREE ways to brighten the world around you

Go back to basics

A simple hello, goodbye, and a meaningful thank you, can create huge value around you. We’ve all heard of the ripple effect, but I do believe it is true when it comes to being nice. Spread the love, say good morning and good night!

Smile

Never underestimate the power of a smile. Use it generously I promise you won’t run out. Smile to the people you see every day but also smile at strangers. The worse thing that can happens is they might think it’s weird that you’re smiling at them, but what do you care? Smiling is contagious and even if that stranger’s smile is not going to impact you, it’ll impact whoever they’re meeting next. Sharing is caring. Share a smile.

Call people by their name

There is no sound more beautiful to a human being than their own name in someone else’s lips. Narcissistic? Maybe, but still true. Using someone’s name shows that you care. It might be a colleague or classmate (whose name you should know anyway), it might be the lady you see every day at the cafeteria, or it might be an Uber driver or waiter you’ll never see again. Ask for their name and use it. It shows that you acknowledge them and not just someone doing something for you. It will brighten their day at no cost to you.

Go for little things

It’s always nice to do stuff for other people that they are not expecting. Sometimes this might mean paying for a stranger’s coffee or leaving a big tip, but it doesn’t have to be monetary to be meaningful. Tell people how great they look, leave them a little note telling them to have a great day, walk over in the middle of the night when a friend needs a hug.

Have you ever run into someone who just seem to light up the room when they walk in? Most of those people do nothing different than your average human being, except they go the extra mile to be extra nice. If you’ve met them you know there can never be enough of those people around. Do these things often, generously and genuinely − go ahead and be your nicest possible self (: