I'm about to admit something that most twenty-somethings would cringe at the thought of: my mother was right. When I was younger, any time I went to my mom with a problem, she would always leave me with her favorite three words: “Always be kind.”

And while this is the best advice I’ve ever received, it’s also been the hardest to put into practice. Some days, you just…can’t. I’m learning how to balance being nice with also not being a pushover. It’s been one of the hardest parts about growing up.

But, I’ve realized that life is more enjoyable when you treat everyone with kindness and respect.

Because of those three words, I’ve learned how to forgive and forget. I’ve learned how to put others before myself, and to work towards a solution to every problem with the majority outcome in mind. This is how she would like to be remembered by coworkers, friends, and acquaintances alike, and I’ve adopted that philosophy. Now, someone’s kindness and demeanor will dictate to me whether or not they are someone that I should let into my life.

I know we’re not alone in this because Katie Holmes once said “You may be pretty, and you may be talented, but no one will remember that if you’re mean,” and Ellen Degeneres ends her show each day with “Be kind to one another.” I think we need a little bit more of that in our world.

There seems to be a lot of unnecessary hate in this world, and each time I turn on the news I wonder why our world can't have a little bit more kindness in it. I know I'm only one person, but it has to start somewhere.

So, if you can be anything today, be kind.