Kindness – Throw it around like confetti

We are living in a world where our phones have become our first love. At any opportunity we whip them out to settle discussions, to take photos, to scroll over people’s lives. I feel social media has made people become quite narcissistic (myself included). We think that people want to know what we are up to all the time – but whatever happened to a little bit of mystery?

I struggle with a happy balance between sharing and over-sharing. I want my posts to be somewhat informative or educational, but do people really want to be educated every time they open social media!? In a world where likes, comments and views determine our mood, does any of that shit really matter? We live in a digital world, yet human connection is what we crave most.

It feels like if someone doesn’t have enough followers on Instagram, they become unimportant. Well, here is the hard truth. It doesn’t matter how many followers you have on Instagram, what really matters in this world is if you’re a kind, loving person.

You know what makes me happy!? Helping people. Making people smile. Complimenting others for absolutely no reason, and as often as possible. But in this day and age, if we compliment someone, a part of them wonders what we want from them. Why are we being nice!? They think there has to be an underlying reason. Unfortunately, most of the time they are right.

Being kind means doing things for others without wanting something in return. Doing something for others because you want them to feel good. The dictionary definition of kindness is the “quality of being friendly, generous, and considerate.” I feel the world has lost a sense of kindness, empathy and compassion.

My mumma, who is a real-life angel, always said two things to me that I have always tried (emphasis on the word try) to live my life by. “Treat others as you like to be treated”, and “if you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all”.

Whatever happened to the days where we borrowed lemons from our next-door neighbours? Whatever happened to human connection and having soulful conversations with people? Not just conversations about what you do, what car you drive and where you live. Those questions don’t determine someone’s importance in the world. Asking the heart questions – like “who are you?”, “what makes you happy in this world?”, “what makes your soul happy?” – does.

We, as humans, are put here for a reason. To make a difference. To serve others. To make people smile. When was the last time you did something for someone without wanting anything in return? When was the last time you picked up the phone and called someone, just because you wanted to hear their voice. When was the last time you were kind to yourself, for no reason at all, just to make yourself smile. Being kind is not hard. Being kind is good for your soul.

Engaging in random acts of kindness makes us happier people. Making someone smile makes you an important person in this world, not how many Instagram followers you have. Making other people smile makes you an influencer and inspiration. So pick up that phone and call someone you want to speak to. Mend friendships and relationships that are broken. Send a card just to say I love you. Send flowers to make someone smile. Send someone a text message or email just to let them know you are thinking about them, that they are a special human in this world. Spread kindness around like it’s confetti just because you want to make someone feel good. Kindness is contagious and that’s what makes the world a better place.