“Most people you’ll meet today are in great need of admiration, validation, and appreciation. Give that to them.”

Robin Sharma

Our world is a reflection of us. As we conduct ourselves, so is returned.

Every day we have a choice, between the higher and lower, the goods and evils, to be a light or a shadow. It’s a daily decision — and a daily responsibility — to choose to be what’s right with this world, despite every inclination not to.

That might not be easy . . .

Not everyone you meet will be nice.

Not everyone you meet will be kind.

Not everyone you meet will treat you like you deserve.

Nonetheless, everyone you meet will be human, and we’re all in this world together, living, working, suffering, laughing, crying, doing, being — together. Every person you meet, however they are, you have an opportunity to leave an impression. What will it be?

Marcus Aurelius, the great Roman emperor and philosopher, had to deal with his fair share of unpleasant people, yet he admonished himself to be good:

“When you wake up in the morning, tell yourself: the people I deal with today will be meddling, ungrateful, arrogant, dishonest, jealous and surly. They are like this because they can’t tell good from evil. But I have seen the beauty of good, and the ugliness of evil, and have recognized that the wrongdoer has a nature related to my own . . . We were born to work together like feet, hands and eyes, like the two rows of teeth, upper and lower. To obstruct each other is unnatural. To feel anger at someone, to turn your back on him: these are unnatural.”

Marcus Aurelius

One of the greatest habits we can have, is to leave everything we come across a little better than it was before. That means people too.

No matter what today brings, be kind.

(Originally published on Mind Cafe)

(Photo by Neil Thomas on Unsplash)