My favorite saying/life motto is "kindness matters," because it really does. It sounds so simple and obvious, but I feel like it's significance is often overlooked in today's world. Many people are nice and helpful and lovely, but being kind is a whole different thing. It's genuine and intentional and can be hard to do. To me, it means going out of your way to be loving and empathetic; maintaining a gentle disposition, even when that might be uncomfortable. Kindness is the quality in people that I most value, so here are a few ways that you can spread it in your daily life:

Give compliments that are genuine

Sometimes compliments sound insincere and may come off as a way to fill an awkward silence. Everyone appreciates a personal compliment that is heartfelt. Sincerity also builds trust in a relationship.

Tell someone the truth

We all try to justify those little white lies that are told to shield someone’s feelings from being hurt, but some things just need to be said. If you think someone would benefit from hearing the truth about something, bite the bullet and tell them!

Stop negative conversations

Gossip doesn't accomplish anything except promoting the idea that weakness in others makes you stronger. It doesn't. So shut it down!

Affirm others

Your loved ones often have no idea how amazing they really are. So many people in my life have impacted and inspired me more than they’d ever know, and telling them this is honestly the least I can do.

Be there to listen

People need to feel like they are heard. It’s important to be present when you’re listening, so be conscious of not interrupting or being distracted by technology.

Express gratitude

Lately I’ve been journaling the things that I’m grateful for, and making more of an effort to say “thank you.” This has made me (and hopefully others!) so much happier and changed my entire outlook on life. It's helped me see what a huge difference the littlest things can make.

Reach out to someone

Please don’t ever assume someone is fine if they’re going through something hard. Some people may want their space, but I know it goes a long way when someone makes an effort to check-in with you and see how you’re doing. Something as simple as sending a meaningful text can let someone know how much you care.

Prioritize people over everything else

If someone really needs you, right now, that paper, yoga class, doctor’s appointment, or whatever, can wait.

Be a mentor

This is one of the most effective and one of the most rewarding things you can do for someone. Being a resource that someone knows they can use and being a positive influence who they can look up to, can change the course of their own life (I know that mentors in my life have!).

Be inclusive

Some people are more comfortable in certain situations than others, and simple things like incorporating them into group conversations and going out of your way to make sure they know how important their presence is, can make them more confident and capable in that moment and in the future.

Forgive someone (and mean it!)

Although this can be extremely difficult to do, forgiveness doesn’t mean that you forget what happened in the past. It just means that you’re able to move on and let it go. If someone is offering you an apology, then they know that they’ve caused you pain, so holding on to that anger is just going to hurt both of you even more.

Be kind to yourself!

I really hope that you can show yourself the love, gentleness, and respect that you show others, because you can spread kindness to everyone else much better if you can feel it within your own being.

I hope that you've experienced the kindness of others throughout your life, and I hope that you want to be kind to people as well. My vision for a better world simply includes people spreading kindness to other people. There are a million other ways you can do this, but I hope this list helps a little bit!