Be nice - it costs nothing

Many people go through life trying their best to outdo others. In the course of doing so, they become nasty and mean without realising so until one day they find themselves sitting all alone at home and wondering why nobody ever calls them, not even their relatives.
There was a time in my life when I came very close to being a person like that. One day, I got lucky because somebody took me aside and gave me a major ticking-off. I was so psychologically traumatised that I was jolted out of my dysfunctional mindset.
From then on, I began to review my priorities. It didn't take me long to realise that I have been a bit of a pain-in-the-neck. Then, I found out that I am just a normal bloke who would prefer others to like me, just like millions of others around the globe.
Not long afterwards, I read with great fascination Dale Carnegie's book entitle How to Win and Influence People. It was such a great book. It was filled with nuggets of wisdom. I guess I was "ripe" for a "conversion". It was one of those life-altering experiences.
Like Paul travelling on the road to Damascus during biblical times, I was struck down and then I saw the light.
Of course, I have not attained sainthood but it was exhilirating to understand at last what life was all about and it costs nothing to flash at smile at strangers and friends.
That was decades ago. These days, I try my utmost to do random acts of kindness and promptly forget about them. Waiting to get credit for so-called good deeds only negate the very actions perpectuated. The idea is just to do it and then carry on with life.
So be nice. Be sincere about it. When you deliberately act like a nice person and you keep at it, soon enough it grows on you and your personality changes. Before long, you become what you have mentally commanded yourself to do.
You will be surprised at the reactions you will receive. People tend to reciprocate such acts of kindness, and they in turn will attempt to emulate you.
There was a movie called Pay It Forward some years ago. It had a theme similar to what I have been saying. It started a chain reaction and it went on and on. What a wonderful theory that translated into something very real on the practical level.
Be nice, I can't repeat that line often enough. Don't try to be nice. Just be nice. It is a quality that is in all of us. Why do you think there is so much untapped goodness in this world and in all people.
When you have nothing more to lose, be nice, for no reason at all; without a thought of receiving something back. Some people will be shocked but when they get over it, they will try it themselves and the process continues.
And it's all because of you. One man can make all the difference. There was a man like that two thousand years ago. They call him Jesus.