If you are looking to become a nicer person, you are at the right place.
When you are in the company of a nice person, you automatically feel warm and fuzzy on the inside. Their words, actions, behavior, and outlook towards life fill you with positivity.
Just being around them restores your faith in humanity, and you can’t help but wonder what would happen if everyone on the planet was like them.
And yes, you might also be inspired to be a nicer person yourself.
But how exactly can you become a nicer version of yourself? How can you be nicer?
Well, as a general rule of thumb, if you listen to your conscience, you will immediately know what’s the right way to be and act in any situation.
Being nice takes work, that is why I really like people who are nice.
Casey Neistat
This alone can make you a more pleasant person than you are right now. However, there are many other ways to explore to be a nicer person.
Let’s take a look at them in brief below.
1) Smile More
If you observe nice people, you will see that they have a habit of smiling more than the average person. This small act makes them look approachable, pleasant, and fun to be around.
I mean, ask yourself.
Who would you rather talk to at a coffee shop?
A person with a frown or a person who is smiling at you?
There is something about a smile that just draws people in and makes them feel good and comfortable. So, smile more whenever you can. Keep it genuine and heartfelt.
2) Be Mindful of Others
We all have so much going on in our lives that we are seldom mindful of what’s going on in other people’s lives.
This is why when someone asks you how you have been and offers to help, it feels so good!
The thing is, we all need love, care, and support from time to time. And if you are able to do that for someone, well, you will be among the nicest people on the planet.
So, just keep your eyes and ears open and be there for people when they need you.
3) Be Humble
People appreciate humility.
It shows that the person is not full of themself and is focused on more than just their ego.
I am sure you are put off by boastful people as well who just like to talk about themselves and their achievements all the time. Therefore, it’s a no-brainer that no matter how successful you are, you should always be down to earth.
In fact, let your accomplishments do the talking for you!
4) Own Up To Your Mistakes
Most people, when they make mistakes, tend to give excuses. And most of the time, they do so just to save face.
However, if you own up to your mistakes, apologize for them, and show your intent of not repeating them, you will appear as a much nicer person.
People will see that you are mature enough to accept your wrongdoings and ask for forgiveness.
5) Don’t Judge Other People
Judging other people has to be one of the worst things that people do.
What’s tragic is that most don’t even realize that they are doing it. We all have our own life stories and preferences in life.
And we have the right to live the way we see fit.
Therefore, judging others for trivial matters is a petty behavior that you should avoid at all costs. Be more open-minded and accepting of others and their choices.
This alone will make it easy for anybody to approach you and have heartfelt conversations with you.
6) Learn To Laugh At Yourself
When someone points out a mistake you’ve made or a fault in your personality, you would most likely become defensive and a bit aggressive.
Then you would probably tell them that they are wrong and explain your reasons why.
You would do this even if the other person was correct.
What about trying not to take yourself too seriously. In fact, try to get the habit of laughing at yourself and even making jokes about your quirky traits! It will make them even more adorable and avoid tensions to escalate…..
7) Be Respectful
Respect is a vital component in any relationship. If someone doesn’t respect you, you will probably not even want to talk to them. 🙂
So, if you want to be a nicer person, be respectful of other people’s choices, boundaries, time, decisions, religion, values, and so on. It doesn’t matter if you know them personally or not. Make respectful behavior a second nature.
Also, get into the habit of saying “please” and “thank you” whenever you can. It’s the little things that often matter the most.
8) Don’t Gossip About Others
Einstein once said, “Great minds discuss ideas, average minds discuss events, small minds discuss people.”
If the smartest person to ever live has said this, who are we to question it, right?
All kidding aside, though, it’s clearly not very nice to gossip about others behind their backs. You would not like it when someone does that to you either.
So, when you’re having a conversation, just avoid talking about people and start talking about things that do matter.
For instance, talk about the mysteries of the universe ( haha) or what have you.
9) Compliment Others
Who doesn’t like to hear nice things being said about them, right?
When someone notices something nice about you and compliments it, you are kinda filled with warmth and joy.
So, remember to pay sincere compliments on other people’s qualities whenever you get the chance. It will make them feel great about themselves, and you will come off as a nice human being.
However, make sure to be genuine. 🙂
10) Do Random Acts of Kindness
When someone holds the door open for you when you’re about to enter a shop, or when someone offers to help you on your project, you are left with a sense of gratitude towards them.
You immediately tell yourself, “Oh! What a nice person!”
So, if you want to be nicer, just do random acts of kindness whenever you get the chance.
Buy a meal for a homeless person, offer to walk someone’s dog, help a senior cross the road, donate to a charity, hold the elevator door, and so on.
11) Remember The Small Things
Do you know what makes someone feel pleasantly surprised?
When they mention a small detail to you in passing, and then you later show them that you remember it.
For example, a colleague at work might mention in a casual conversation that they are going to start dieting. Now, a week or a month later, if you ask them how their dieting is going, they will be pleasantly surprised. It shows that you were listening and paying interest.
It also establishes a connection between the two of you and shows them that you care.
12) Write Thank You Notes
In one of the points above, I mentioned that you should say thank you to people whenever you can.
You can take this to the next level by writing personal thank you notes for bigger gestures.
For instance, if someone invites you for a dinner, you can write a thank you note to them and mention that you had a wonderful time. If someone helps you with an assignment at work, you can write a personal thank you note telling them that you appreciate their help.
This shows them that their efforts mean a lot to you.
13) Encourage Others
We live in a world where, unfortunately, a lot of people try to put others down.
Maybe it’s because of jealousy, or maybe it’s fear.
Whatever it may be, don’t follow the same pattern.
You need to motivate people and encourage them to go after their dreams. What’s more beautiful in a person’s life than the pursuit of their dreams and goals? Your encouraging words will serve as inspiration for them to keep going on.
Also, when they finally do succeed, they will always remember that you were there to support them.
14) Try Other People’s Interests
In a world where most are so concerned with their own preferences, merely appreciating other people’s interests makes you come off as a nice person.
Now imagine how they would feel if you genuinely wanted to try their interests.
They would be elated to spend time with you doing things that they enjoy. So, if someone asks you to come along for an activity, try to accept if possible. It could be a tennis match, fishing, cooking, skiing, or whatever else. Who knows, you might even learn a thing or two!
15) Be Fully Present
These days, even when people hang out for a dinner, everyone is busy with their phones.
Imagine you trying to share something intimate with someone, and they’re completely engrossed in their social media feed.
It would feel bad, wouldn’t it? So, why not go the opposite route and be fully present in any setting? Whenever someone is talking to you, make sure you are all ears.
You never know how important it might be for the other person to have someone to speak to.
16) Be Nice To The Environment
Being a nicer person doesn’t only relate to other people. It is also equally applicable to your surroundings.
Therefore, you need to be mindful of the impact your activities have on the environment. And you should practice as many eco-friendly habits as possible. In fact, you should also educate others to do the same. People who are generally aware of the larger reality and craft their activities accordingly are seen as more caring and considerate.
17) Practice Forgiveness
Forgiveness is one of the best qualities you can develop as a human being.
Not only is it great for your mental and emotional well-being, but it also makes you a nicer person. While people around you hold on to their grudges, you can choose to let them all go and feel lighter than you ever have.
In fact, others will appreciate you for this quality and you will appear as a much more emotionally intelligent person.
18) Don’t Show Up Empty-Handed
When you’re invited for a dinner, a party, a baby shower, a farewell, or whatever else, it’s a good idea to bring something with you.
It could be a small gift, a bouquet, a greeting card, or whatever you deem appropriate for the event. It’s a kind gesture and shows that you appreciate the invite. Trust me, the host/s will remember this small act for a long time.
19) Always Be Honest
The old adage, “Honesty is the best policy” exists for a reason.
In human relationships, it is one of the most treasured qualities. For example, if a loved one lied to you, it would most definitely hurt you. The opposite is true too.
Therefore, make sure that you are always honest, even if it is hard at the moment. Sometimes, you might be tempted to lie in order to save someone from feeling hurt. In cases like these too, you should choose honesty. They might get hurt at that moment, but they will appreciate it afterwards.
20) Be Punctual
You can tell a lot about a person by how they value your time.
Someone who respects time is also considered to be respectful of others.
So, no matter the appointment, make sure you reach on time. It could be a date, a family dinner, a job interview, a meeting, or anything else.
Do not keep the other person waiting! If you are late for some reason that’s totally beyond your control, apologize sincerely.
21) Show Affection
Affection goes a long way in helping humans establish strong relationships. And affectionate people are really seen as the best of our species. haha.
That’s because they make you feel warm, protected, heard, and cared for.
And who doesn’t wish to feel that way? So, whenever appropriate, show affection to the other person by shaking their hand, patting their back, giving them a hug, and even a kiss (if appropriate).
22) Never Rub It In When Proven Right
Imagine this. You give someone a piece of advice. They then do the opposite of what you had advised. And sometime later, things turn out exactly as you had said they would.
Now, in this case, you will be highly tempted to say, “I told you so!”
But you must refrain from doing that because that’s not what a “nice” person does. Trust me, they already know that they should have listened to you. No need to make matters worse…..
23) Don’t Make Jokes At The Expense of Others
I think this is pretty much a no-brainer.
Nobody likes to be made fun of. It hurts their feelings, whether they show it or not.
Look, being funny and having a sense of humor is good. In fact, it’s a handy quality that may help you build good relationships.
But don’t make jokes at the expense of someone else. It will make you come off as obnoxious.
24) Look At Things From Others’ Perspective
When you look at things from other people’s perspectives, it helps you understand their situation better.
It helps you understand why they are the way they are and why they do what they do.
Therefore, being kind and sympathetic to them becomes easier. They, too, will respect you for seeing things their way. And you’ll probably become their favorite choice to share intimate details with.
25) Stand Up For Others
When someone is being wrongly accused of something or when they’re being bullied by others, you should stand up for them and help solve the situation.
You have no idea how much it will mean for that person.
Not only will you save their honor, but you will also motivate them to stand up for themselves. This could make a huge difference in their lives.
26) Stay Silent
If you don’t have anything nice to say, just stay silent.
What is the point of saying something that could potentially hurt someone? Better keep it for you, especially if your comment brings no value whatsoever.
27) Be Tolerant To Other Cultures.
Put yourself in someone’s else shoes.
It is like the point 24 but on a different scale.
Why not try to learn more about other languages, cultures etc…. This is another way to understand what other people think and feel about different subjects.
Learn about their habits, theirs beliefs etc.. so you can behave accordingly and avoid mistakes that they could wrongly interpret as disrespect.
28) Spend time with other people.
The most valuable gift you can give to someone else nowadays is your time.
invite them for dinner, or lunch. Have fun. Spend quality time. Create memories, nice experiences that will reinforce your relationship.
The time you spend with the people you care about are the times that definitely have the most value in your life.
29) Put Others First.
From time to time, what about putting other’s people needs before yours. (as long as it does not put your at risk of course lol, everything is a matter of balance).
This is the definition of being selfless or altruistic.
30) Protect Your Energy.
When someone is disrespectful, or when someone tries to provoke you, decide to let it go,
Don’t waste your energy to fuel anger and negativity.
Decide to be nice, stay nice and move on….
In fact, your reaction will probably surprise the other person and probably make him or her think twice about his own action….
I hope these 30 tips will help you become a nicer person. 🙂 If you are looking to be nicer, it already means that somehow you are a nice person…..
