Kindness =/= Weakness

I’ve been the nice person all my life. I can’t help it. My mother is this way, my grandma was this way, and I’m pretty sure every woman on my mother’s side was or is this way. It’s in my blood. I grew up with friends from all different cliques and groups because I was always an approachable person. I don’t think I could be an asshole even if I tried.

Let me tell you, that is a pain in the ass.

Don’t get me wrong, I’ve tried to be an asshole. I tried, just to see if I could do it. I can’t. I can’t be mean, even if the person is being horrible to me, I still feel bad if I am the slightest bit unkind in return.

Life is not easy for people like me. In today’s society, kindness is associated with weakness. Bringing out the good in others is seen as a personality flaw. My entire life, I’ve been told that I’m being too nice to people; I need to stick up for myself. That may have been true at one point, but in my 25 years of living, I’ve learned a thing or two about my personality.

1. It costs you nothing to be kind.

You actually benefit more from being a nice person, than you would by being cold towards everyone. I know society tells you otherwise, because the world is so nasty. Don’t listen. People trust you, and come to you when they know that you aren’t going to say something mean and hurtful to them. They also tend to like you more. The sarcastic ass hole aesthetic doesn’t work for everyone, unfortunately. It takes less muscles to smile than it does to frown. Don’t be ashamed of the way you are. It’s a blessing.

2. Don’t be a pushover.

Just because you are an inherently nice person doesn’t mean you have to be a doormat. This is something that I’ve struggled with most of my life. Saying no has always been an issue with me. I usually avoid confrontation like the plague. The problem with this personality type is it becomes very easy to attract people who drain you. You are not a horrible, cruel person for saying no once in a while. In order to fill another person’s cup, you need to make sure that your cup isn’t empty first.

3. You are not weak.

It takes a lot of strength to be kind to someone who isn’t going to be kind back. It takes a lot of compassion to give to someone you know will never give anything back. It takes a strong person to be a friend to everyone. Most people don’t possess this ability. In fact, most people will be pretty ugly.

Never be ashamed that you are the nice person. In everything you do, do so with love. It will be the most rewarding thing you do.