sprinkle that shit everywhere

TRUTH. Kindness is where it's at. It's easy to be grumpy and bitchy and spend your days complaining; let's face it, life is no picnic and full of daily upsets, but bitching about it doesn't solve the problem and brings everyone down around you. 

(This is not to say that bitching is completely useless. I am a full supporter of a good freak-out session, but only among friends.)

As a teenager, learning to keep my emotions in check was a huge challenge. (I'm sure I am not alone on this.) Over time, I became aware of how my emotions affected everyone else around me. It was an amazing realization. I could change the entire emotional setting in a room full of people at any point in time. It's a scary and somewhat thrilling concept; we are all much more connected than we like to think.

On the flip side, it was also challenging to learn how to keep my emotions and mindset in balance when someone was trying (intentionally or not) to bring me down. This was a lesson I learned in my early 20-somethings and am still working on today. Negativity is contagious - keep it in check and learn to communicate it effectively, or risk leading a very lonely life.

Kindness is a great way to battle negativity in our lives. As my dad always said, "Treat others as you would like to be treated." And, the phrase that was always guaranteed an eye roll and heavy sigh in my teenage years: "Make it a better day for somebody else."

Here's another goodie:

“Conquer the angry one by not getting angry; conquer the wicked by goodness; conquer the stingy by generosity, and the liar by speaking the truth."

- The Dhammapada, Verse 223

In other words, kill it with kindness. I learned this little gem of a technique from my good friend Miss Marie. She's from South Carolina and always had a way with cantankerous people. I'm sure her sweet southern disposition and cute face didn't hurt, but she also has an unwavering sense of kindness that could melt any heart. 

So, the next time someone is rubbing you the wrong way or bitching your ear off, sprinkle some kindness on that shit, and don't let it get you down.