I know, it seems cliché and basic but I think now, more than ever, spreading positivity is so important. So many bad things happen every day and it seems like the only thing we see in the news these days are those bad things. While tragedies happen and we all deserve to be informed, I think a sprinkle of good in all the bad is just what this country and, everyone for that matter, needs. It doesn’t have to start at the national level with the news, it can start with you. Spread that little piece of positivity, happiness, or hope wherever you go and maybe you’ll affect at least one person’s life.

With school shootings and things in the news that we just can’t comprehend, it seems like there is no way to be happy or be positive. We always think it will never happen to us so why should we change the way we act. I am guilty of it too; I am naïve to the thought of tragedies happening in my daily life too. We spend our days after things like that saying someone should have realized or how everyone should be nice to one another, but we should be doing these things anyway. We shouldn’t need a massive tragedy to show us that being kind and positive is a must.

Being truly kind to everyone. That is my goal for the year and it should be yours too. With so much crazy in the world, why not do the simplest thing that could help: just be nice. After all, what good comes from being mean, bullying or excluding people? I’ve never truly understood what people get out of it and maybe I never will, but all I hope is that this is a reminder to just be kind to the people around you. It is cliché but couldn’t be more true: you never know what is going on in someone’s life past the exterior they give off.

I can’t help but think that with the spreading of love and positivity, our world may have less hatred and devastation than it does right now. That may be delusional of me, but in the end, it I’d rather be positive and hope for the better change... wouldn’t you?

“Be the change you wish to see in the world.”