Do You Have What it Takes to Be Nice?

A nice person is usually friendly, ingratiating, and conciliatory. They are willing to help others and often go above and beyond in their daily interactions with friends, family, coworkers, and acquaintances. They often do unexpected things for people, like hold doors open or buy coffee for strangers. While these people are not necessarily malicious, they do tend to use their good nature as a way to get what they want from other people without offering much in return.

If you’ve got a client, customer, employee, networking connection, or friend who only makes you feel like crap or rips you a new one every once in a while, it might be time to do a ROI analysis: How much of your time are you spending on this person? Could this be better spent on someone who is genuinely interested in healthy relationships and your mutual success? If the answer is yes, it might be time to cut ties.

People who are naturally nice are often able to stay calm and collected in stressful situations, which may indicate they are more patient than others. They are also able to give other people the time they need before moving on, showing a level of generosity that is admired by many. Being able to forgive easily is another characteristic of people who are naturally nice, as they understand that holding onto anger or resentment does nothing but damage to themselves and those around them.

Whether it’s helping out a family member in need, lending an ear to a friend who’s going through a hard time, or volunteering for a cause that’s important to them, they are always looking for ways to improve the lives of those around them. They may even offer to take care of chores or errands for those who are overwhelmed, showing true compassion for others.

People who are naturally nice often inspire kindness in others, which can have a ripple effect that lasts for generations. The next time you think about being nice to somebody, remember that you may not be making just them smile, but you could be starting a chain reaction that will impact the world in ways that they’ll never fully understand. And that’s a pretty good ROI, wouldn’t you say?