I’m done being nice. I’d rather be kind.
Nearly a quarter of a century ago (which makes me feel old), a movie and a movement swept the nation. The movie? “Pay It Forward” led to a whole segment of the population becoming aware of the possibilities of what it means to be kind.
I am from the South. Born in Atlanta and raised in Texas. Texas has a state motto (somewhat surprisingly given our current pop culture standing) of “Friendship” from the Indigenous word “Tejas.” Below the Mason-Dixon line, we are known for being super friendly — very NICE. Our stereotype is to offer you some sweet tea with our warm and welcoming hospitality.
I’ve experienced all of that. I know when I’m not in the South when I smile at people walking down the street, and they don’t smile back. That was definitely a jarring reality when I lived overseas.
Only some people in the world are brought up to be as nice as we are supposed to be in the Southern States.
I’ve gone through a cognitive dissonance around this concept, though. As a woman, being nice is supposed to be my standard operating program. But truthfully, being “nice” has gotten me very little for my trouble. Being nice has taught me to keep my mouth shut, silence my intuition, and not make waves.
Fortunately for me and unfortunately for the world, my mother wasn’t like this. She…
