Kevin commented on “Be Nice…To Yourself” that we should not expect anything in return when we are nice to others. I thought that was such a terrific point, I decided to post an entry about it!

See, I’m horrible. On days when I’m feeling down, I sometimes focus on being nice to others because that makes me feel better. This fits the same logic as when I try to look really pretty (make-up on, nice outfit) on the days when I feel sick or really bummed out. So, why is this so horrible? Well, when I am nice but the person I am being nice to isn’t nice, I get cranky about it.  That’s not so good. Doesn’t happen all the time, but it does happen. So, I need to work on that I guess!

The important thing is this: being kind, courteous, patient, nice, compassionate, and/or generous to others is something that ideally should be done without a return on your “investment” of effort/time/money.  The popular theory is that whatever you send out into the world will immediately–or eventually–be brought back to you (sometimes three-fold).

I like to think that it is often returned to you on purpose at specific moments. When my Mom got cancer, a local non-profit organization donated the profits from their annual benefit (always for a person in need) to her to help us get by. There were hundreds who were likely in need, but they chose her. I believe it was the positivity she sent out every day at her job and in her relationships with others that brought back so much generosity to her just when she needed it most.

© Be Nice. Creator and Be Nice. (somethingsonice.wordpress.com), 2008-2009.