Go on

Do you:

do things in such a way to uplift people, make them feel good?

Or:

Do things in such a way to cause them to feel lousy about themselves?

Sometimes, people mask the latter with terms such as 'tough love', or 'honesty is the best policy', or 'I need to let the person understand.', or 'I am doing this for his/her own good.', and assorted sayings, are mere justifications, in my books. I know I am not a saint, that I am guilty of the above justifications as well, very much guilty. Afterall, I am only human, and boy, do I have shortcomings. But at the very least, I try not to take pride in doing so.

The fact is this: In everything, yes, EVERYTHING, you can choose to uplift people. All the above could be achieved as well, if not even better, if done right. Love? Check. Honesty? check. Make someone understand? Check. For their own good? Check. I wonder how we got to a point where we think that causing people to feel bad is good for them.

It's simple, really. It really doesn't take much to find the silver lining in every cloud. No matter what is going on, there is a silver lining, something good that can be found and said. It just requires a shift of perspective. And a tonne of patience and self-control not to react to your negative feelings, that's all. Like I said, simple. But not easy.

On a somewhat related note, since when has complimenting someone, praising someone become so unnatural? It is one thing to pay flippant compliments, or insincere ones, or compliments just so that you can gain something out of it. But yet, in the midst of avoiding coming across as 'glib', or 'smooth', or manipulative, I think we have lost the art of really paying people sincere, heartfelt, no-strings-attached compliments.

I am sure everyone has enough of the world telling them that they are not good enough, that they are unworthy. So go on, do something different, and make someone feel good today.