We encounter an immeasurable amount of people throughout our lives, and the hope is that we will make many of them happy with a kind gesture.

Being kind is to treat others well and, in most cases, does not involve much effort. Saying an enthusiastic “hello,” returning a grateful smile, offering a warm hug and giving a genuine compliment are all small details that we can all do in order to light up other people’s days.

Even though I don’t like to put it this way, being kind is like making an investment. If you treat people kindly, you can expect them to do the same to you. If you’re downright unfriendly, well… just stop. Please.

Most of us have a longing heart and like to be treated well. We love to be at the receiving-end of a random act of kindness. In fact, it seems like these kind acts are what fuel people’s willingness to be kind to others.

We can be kind many times, even when we are unhappy with a situation. We are even capable of expressing our points of view without losing good manners in front of our families and peers. That is a valuable trait, which everyone should aspire to attain. It should actually be normal to be that respectful under all circumstances, taking into account the fact that that’s the way we like others to express their ideas. So why does it become harder to be kind with people who we don’t really know?

We can treat nicely those who we know and those who we do not know. Of course, we feel more comfortable when doing so with the former, but that doesn’t mean that it is impossible to be kind to the latter. It is understandable to not be cautious with our new acquaintances. After all, past experiences have taught us to not trust people as soon as we meet them.

It is even understandable to feel like you should be kinder to those who you already know. They give us more reasons to be considerate and kind because, more often than not, it is with them with whom we have learnt what kindness is really about. We care more about our closest family members and friends because together, we have been able to make life more enjoyable.

One important thing is not to confuse being kind with being overly-obliging. Being nice to others is one thing, but allowing other to abuse your willingness is a completely different thing. Some people even confuse being good with being weak. You have to make sure that your happiness comes first. That way, you’ll know exactly what you need to do in order to help others.

There will always be people who ignore our friendly gestures. In the worst of cases, they think of us inferior for being kind to them for free. Make sure to show them that the only one reward you’re seeking is a mutual happiness.

Go on now, smile and plant your seeds of kindness!