Bring Back Nice - A Movement

Today, while I was scrolling through Facebook I noticed how much unpleasantness is out there.  Unpleasantness from my own friends, people who I have deemed to be nice and wanted in my life.  I'm guilty of it myself.  We post status updates complaining about a stranger that cut us off or ignored our no soliciting sign and woke the baby.  We post pictures of fashion faux pas for people to tear apart online.  We spread hate about people who do things differently from us.  How dare that mom come to preschool drop off in full makeup, doesn't she have a life?  How dare someone parent differently, vote differently, eat differently, drive differently, etc?

If this is the norm and all my friends are "nice people" then I truly don't want to know what the mean people are posting. When did it because so normal to be snarky and mean-spirited?  When did it become common practice to make fun of everything and everyone?  People made fun of Gabby Douglas's hair when she was in the Olympics, she was only 16 at that point.  Who makes fun of a KID?  I've seen people on YouTube make fun of BABIES.  What is wrong with this world?  What happened to MANNERS?

I remember breaking down in a friend's car in high school several times.  At that point, people pulled over to help us.  One person went to the gas station and bought us sealed waters so we knew they were safe to drink.  Last summer, my van broke down on a very busy street.  I had all three of my kids in the car.  ONE person rolled down their window to ask if we were ok.  Other people honked, flipped us off, and yelled.  What has happened to the world?  Remember once upon a time when someone fell, you helped them up?  These days people film it and put it on YouTube so other people can have a good laugh at you.  And that is sad.

I don't want my kids growing up in this kind of world.  We need to make a change and it really all starts with one person, right?  I want to start a movement.  I want to BRING BACK NICE.  I want those days of being kind and neighborly to come back.  I want people to extend grace to one another. I want people's faith in the human spirit to be restored.  And it all starts with you!  You, wherever you are, whoever you are.

I'm challenging EVERYONE to do ONE nice thing a day.  Let's BRING BACK NICE!  Let's make nice common practice.  Let's teach our children to be nice to each other and that there are nice people out there.  Let's set an example.

Here are a few ideas of what you can do (but do whatever your heart desires):
Pick up trash
Bring a sick person dinner
Donate unused items to charity
Smile at everyone you see
Donate blood
Take a friend out for coffee
Bake a treat and bring it into work for your coworkers
Gift someone a bouquet of flowers from your garden
Leave a coupon on a product at a store
Pay someone a nice compliment
Send a card to let someone know you're thinking about them
Hold the door for the person behind you

No matter how big or how small, check go out and do it.  Also, come share with me on the Bring Back Nice Facebook Page.  I will be posting reminders so everyone can post what they did each day.  I hope that these posts from others will inspire people.  Will you please help me Bring Back Nice?

***HUGE thank you to my friend Tifany for the awesome logo she designed!***