Whether nice comes naturally to you or you have to work at it, there’s no denying the positive impact being kind can have on our lives. It’s not only a feeling that makes others feel good but it has been shown to lower our stress levels and even help us live longer. Being nice can also help with social anxiety and boost our self-esteem. But how exactly do you define nice? What is it that makes some people so genuinely kind to everyone they come across?

Unlike narcissists who are only out for themselves, nice people want to put in the extra effort to help those around them. Whether it is opening the door for someone, helping a colleague with their work or just simply listening to friends, they are always thinking about how they can be helpful to others. They also take time to learn about other cultures and viewpoints in order to understand them and not judge.

Being a nice person involves a lot of empathy, which is a sense of understanding and sharing another person’s feelings. Whether it is for a close friend or a stranger, they are always thinking of the needs of others before themselves and putting in the extra work to show that they care.

In addition to putting in the effort to be helpful, being nice often includes being polite and respectful. These are both traits that are easily learned but can be difficult to maintain especially in the face of adversity or rudeness. Politeness is all about setting the tone of a conversation or interaction and it can make a big difference in how the outcome turns out.

If you have ever been a victim of an overly nice person who can’t seem to stop saying how great they are, it may be because they are trying to cover up their true nature for fear of being rejected. Being overly nice can lead to manipulation and actually decrease your self-esteem as it is a form of inauthenticity. This can lead to a “bunny boiler” syndrome where you constantly sacrifice your own needs for those of others, which is dangerously unhealthy.

There is a fine line between being nice and being kind as the two have been linked to a number of different personality traits. Pleasing other people can be considered nice but only if it is done from a place of benevolence, which is why the two are often confused.

Being nice and being kind are both important aspects of living a fulfilling life but they do have their differences. Being nice is about being helpful to others and showing that you are empathetic towards them while kindness is more about displaying compassion. While it might be challenging to stay nice in the face of adversity and rudeness, remember that your actions speak louder than words and by being kind to others you are improving the world, one interaction at a time.