Be Kind

May is Mental Health Awareness month. To that I say, be kind. It’s a simple mantra and one that we can all live by and it’s really not hard. The simplest thing you can give a person is respect and a smile. It can change their day and changing their day can alter the course of the world. It’s like dropping your change in a bucket – well, back before the world wide disease that shall not be named altered our world and brought the use of cash to a screaming halt. When we had change we could drop it in a container and overtime it added up. What started as a few cents could turn into a hundred dollars and you barely noticed it. Your smile, your respect is dropping a penny in an emotional bucket. Hopefully, you reminded someone to do the same and so it continues, from person to person, block to block, stranger to stranger.

You never know what a person is going through. I try to remind people that a person is not a second, not a minute, not a day – they are a compendium of days, a lifetime of moments. If someone is reacting to you in a way that is not expected – maybe they are rude, harsh or angry – remember that you are only seeing a glimpse of them. Give them kindness and a bit of slack because you really don’t know what is going on in their lives.

That being said, remember that your mental health is important too. So while you are giving people kindness and respect, know that you deserve the same in return. If you are not feeling valued, take a step back from whatever relationship is hurting you. Take a break – take some deep breaths, treat yourself well and remember that you are worthy. You can prioritize you and the world will be okay with that.

You are important. You are the central character in your story. Make it a good one.