Being Nice Equates a Recipe for Success

This world.  What can we say but this world…

I know for me, I often wonder if being nice still really works.  We live in competitive times and a competitive market.  The ones who are loud often seem to get all the attention and the kudos.  The ones who do the hard work… well often we feel as if we are not heard.  That our ideas fall on deaf ears.  We struggle with if we are even making a difference because who is listening and noticing?  Most of my life, I have been super passive and quiet in my communication tactics.  I have often wondered “Should I be loud?  Should I lose who I am and do what “they” do?  Does being nice even work anymore? Does doing good works even matter anymore?  And then more fun happens in my head as I start to question if I am trying to manipulate others by being nice… Am I being nice for the right reason… If the person deserves my kindness as they sure did some ugliness to me last month, and the thoughts go on and on…

But I have to put it down.  I have to know my values.  I know that being loud is not me.  Not in the least.  If I became a person who is competitive and loud then I would truly lose myself.  I like being in the background and helping others to shine.  I like being soft spoken, quiet, and listening to others.  After all… still waters run deep,  and being nice a value of mine.  Children even know being nice and doing good works are an advantage.

Children know being nice often equates that you can get what you need in the long haul.  Several years ago, this scenario occurred.  We all went out to eat.  My son had been begging to go stay with his great aunt.  I told him that I would surely try to remember to text her and ask.  After supper, the kids went to the front counter at the restaurant and got a handful of peppermints (after I said no to more of course).  We got home, got the kids in the bath,  in bed, and then it was our turn for bed.  On my nightstand, my son had left 5 peppermints.  Now these kids fight over some peppermints and here was my son leaving a handful for me.  Ummmmm wow is all I can say.  This kiddo at 5 years old at the time knows what up.  Although I know he completed this act of kindness to entice me into calling his aunt to stay the weekend, he knew that being nice could possibly get him what he wanted.  He didn’t understand devious manipulation at his ripe ole years of 5 y/o.  But he did know that being nice may give him a chance of success.  Whelp.  It worked for him. 

When people are nice to us, it makes us to want to be nice back.  Human nature.  It’s how we are programmed.  We typically are not going to be horrible to a person who is truly trying to be nice.  And if you are having a bad day and horrible, often you are going to feel some kid of bad afterwards.  So go ahead on the front end and remember what you learned as a kid.  Be nice.  Be truly and authentically nice.  Not only does it help to get our needs met when we are nice to others, it also helps us to feel good about us. 

And know this as the Good Book says:

“Let us not become wary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.  Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to these who belong to the family of believers” (Galatians 6:9-10).