"You are never too important to be nice to people."

I don’t care who you are, it’s never okay to intentionally be mean to someone. When it comes to living alongside others, compassion and empathy is everything. And if someone feels like another person isn’t deserving of that respect, I think it’s more a representation of what they think of themselves rather than what they think of that person.

We all certainly are going to encounter bad people. It’s unavoidable. People who feel like they are too important and perceive themselves as superior, but no one has the right to treat anyone else differently.

I’m not perfect, I have plenty of judgments and hold grudges and assign blame just like anyone else, but I try to see the importance in everyone else. We all have a sense of self and in that way, we are all the center of our own universe. So while you might be the most important person in the world in your mind, someone else is the most important person in their mind. 

And that’s the underlying opportunity. In exercising compassion, and being understanding, you can learn to treat others the way you want to be treated, and allow them to feel meaningful and significant beyond their personal experience.