My mother always told me, “Kill them with kindness.”
She would, and still does, offer this advice when I encounter a bully.
Admittedly, this advice is sometimes hard to follow.
When I have encountered someone who bullies others, my first reaction is to either get mad or sulk away, scared of a confrontation.
However, bullying does not end on the playground at school. It can happen at a business, the park, a shopping mall, virtually anywhere there is a mean person who uses their authority or stature to belittle and take advantage of others.
I recently stumbled upon the campaign, Kindness Matters, Inc.
According to the website, the movement began after “13-year-old Peyton A. James took his life after years of bullying.”
When I first read it, I felt sadness and then anger. I cannot imagine who the thoughtless people are who felt the need to bully this young adult to the point where he thought death was the only answer.
To this day, I know of adults who are brought to tears after dealing with the public or a bad experience at work. I, myself, have had such experiences.
According to the website, the purpose of Kindness Matters is to “change the dialogue that takes place between people every day.”
This is a campaign I can fully support. I try my best to be kind to those I meet, and in this business, that’s a lot of people.
In closing, please remember to be kind to one another.
It’s important we lift each other up and not tear each other down.
“Kindness Matters is not just about bullying because not everyone is a bully. However, everyone can be a little bit kinder to others. By doing that, we can change the world,” the website states.
Learn more about Kindness Matters, Inc. at www.kindness-matters.org.