Kindness has always been an important facet to the success of the human race, but it's seeming like this is becoming most true now more than ever. There is so much negativity in the world right now that I can't even just say "in the news" because the truth is that it isn't just the news that’s sad. It's us. It's the way we treat each other, it's the way we view each other, it's the way we feel so at odds with each other when in reality we are all on the same team! Kindness is so important right now because if we don't remind each other and ourselves what it feels like to give and receive kindness… we might soon forget it exists completely.

"I want everyone to know that we all really, really love one another. Deep down we all love one another, and we need to get back to that." -- Ellen DeGeneres

Be honest, when was the last time that you did something truly kind for someone and felt bad about it? Unless you have some sort of sadistic tendency (in which case I implore you to seek help), your answer to that is probably never! Just being decent human beings and being nice to one another never hurt anyone! In fact, 9.9/10 times it helps both parties!

Kindness broadens our perspective on the world and its endless possibilities and beautiful things! Going into every day with an optimistic attitude and an open mind for change will also open your eyes to everything that maybe you couldn't see before. Optimism can go along way as far as your personal journey in this world and sharing that optimism with another can help them in ways that you may never fully know!

"Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle." -- Plato

When you reach out to someone with only the intent of bettering them you unlock something fantastic within yourself. Something so much greater than yourself that it has no choice but to spread to this other person and on and on. Kindness unlocks within everyone their sense of compassion and tolerance and empathy toward everyone and everything around them. These are the traits that make the human race so amazing; these traits allow us to love and to connect with one another to better the interests of the group as a whole! We're all in this together and when we have compassion and tolerance and empathy we can all coexist productively in this space that we've been given.

Spreading kindness not only lets us see the world of endless possibilities but it also lets us reach them!

"Kindness is a language that the deaf can hear and the blind can see." -- Mark Twain

Kindness unites, which means that no one gets left out or has to be alone. You never know what kind of impact one small act can have on a person or their well being so what do you have to lose by holding that door for them or complimenting them? Nothing. But you have everything to gain from it and so does whoever is receiving it!

When you make people feel respected and important and included they're going to feel compelled to do the same, and that's how this thing spreads. Kindness really is like a disease but I think it's a darn good one to have!

"You don't need a reason to help people." -- Charles Dickenson

If nothing else I've said thus far could convince you just humor me on this last thing:

Kindness doesn't cost a thing!

Not a single penny. Not a single second. You don't have to go out of your way to help someone (I'm not saying don't!! Please do!!), but if you do nothing else then find a way to just make it a part of your day. You can integrate kindness into your everyday life so seamlessly that it won't even feel like you're putting in effort to do it! Walk around with a smile, greet or compliment someone in the hall or on the bus or anywhere that you have to be anyway but normally wouldn’t interact. You don't have to donate millions of dollars or years of your life to make a difference. You can give a smile and a hug and it will only build from there.

So, start small, even a small act of kindness can make a tidal wave of a difference in the life of someone who needs it; but since you can't know who needs it then cover all your bases and extend it to EVERYONE! If you really think about it, everyone need it.

It only takes 21 days to make a habit. If you only go out of your way or extend a compliment to one person a day then by the time it becomes like clockwork to you then you will have already helped 21 people and that’s a heck of a lot more than if you did nothing at all.

Small acts of kindness can make all the difference in the world, what is your next one going to be?

If you've read all the way to this point then kudos to you! Really, it means a lot that you would be kind enough (ha, see what I did there?! Yeah… moving right along...) to take the time to read this because it means a lot to me and I've worked hard on putting this together.

Now, all the mushiness aside, I want to challenge everyone reading this right now to commit to one small act of kindness a day. If that’s something that you can do this share this article and challenge your loved ones to do the same.

I believe in us and I want everyone else to be able to do the same!