“Always be a little kinder than necessary.”

We all share this world but we experience it so differently. Our own two eyes shape what we see. Our own two legs move us around to determine our vantage point. And most importantly, our own experiences cause us to relate with the things around us in our own way.

It’s all a matter of perspective. I love the visual of casting a shadow on a cylinder. If the cylinder is standing upright and the light hits the long face directly, the shadow is a rectangle. But if you lay the cylinder down like you’re rolling it and you cast the light from the same angle as before, now the shadow is a circle. It’s the same object and the same light, but two very different outcomes. When someone asks you about the shape of a cylinder’s shadow, there are two right and wrong answers.

The reason I bring this up is because it’d serve us to have the same understanding for the people we encounter. We don’t know what they’re going through, we don’t know what they need, and we don’t know how they’re feeling. To account for that, and help contribute to a brighter world, it’s a good idea to always be a little kinder than necessary.”

This plays in all settings. Someone you’re really excited to see - how do you make them feel that enthusiasm and a little more. Someone who you hardly know and you’re interacting with them - surprise them with the genuine care and attention you give them. Or someone who’s making you angry and you’re arguing with them - cool your emotions down and treat them with a touch more kindness than what is coming up in the moment.

Looking back at these situations, you’ll never regret having been kinder than was required. However, it’s very likely you’ll regret being meaner or nastier than you should have been. 

So keep that in the back of your mind. As you approach new situations in your life, how do you show up a little kinder than necessary? Try it on for a few days and see how it makes you feel. There’s no faster way to create positivity within you than to ignite it in others.

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