5 Simple Ideas on How to be a Nicer Person

Knowing how to engage with your community is a lost art. Maybe some of us think it’s more polite to keep to ourselves, but I think it’s making us all feel more isolated and often fearful of each other for no good reason. We freely share bizarre intimate details on social media but are often silent in real life.

I remember my mother used to talk to strangers all the time growing up. She would ask questions of people sitting next to her on the airplane. She would compliment people on their yards while we took walks. She grew up in a small town and this was just part of being neighborly to her.

Mostly I was embarrassed about it. My insecure young self thought everyone should stay silent. What if the other person thinks you’re WEIRD or ANNOYING?!

As an adult, I can see how silly that is. Whose day isn’t brightened by a random compliment or friendly hello?

I honestly believe that if we talked to our neighbors more, acknowledged (with eye-contact and a smile), and showed gratitude to the people doing jobs we otherwise ignore, the world would be a far better place.

I want my son to feel like he belongs to his hometown, that he is invested in the welfare of our street, our neighborhood, and the magnificent array of people putting their lives on the line every day for someone else’s benefit.

Talking about and modeling small acts like those listed below is an easy way to start showing him that his Dad and I care about the environment and the people around us. It allows for wonderful conversations and brings us closer together.

Could it do the same for your family team?

1. Take your sunglasses off at the drive-thru, look the attendant in the eye and acknowledge them.
2. Bring gloves and a small bag to pick up litter on your next walk around the block.
3. Greet the security guard at the door of your next shopping trip. Thank them for being there.
4. Compliment a stranger… on anything… truly.
5. Tell a neighbor how beautiful their yard is.