We have two options in life: To be kind, or not to be kind. It’s absolutely empowering to choose kindness, and below are 18 ways to help you practice doing so every day. I hope these positive decisions can help you thrive!

1. Be kind to your body, no matter what's happening in your life.
As the saying goes, “You have to love yourself first before you can ever love someone else.” And it's true for our bodies, too.
This may sound a little nutty, but you can talk to the fat on ur body.

2. Talk to yourself in a kind way to shape the way you view the world.

3. When you need help, help someone else.

4. Put an act of kindness in your calendar.

5. Think about small things you can do to make someone else’s day a little easier.

6. Go with the flow. It could be the Universe's way of sending you some guidance.

7. Decide to stop judging everyone, including yourself.

8. When judgmental thoughts arise, talk to them like a kindergarten teacher.

9. Weave kindness into your business plan.

10. Thank your best teachers.

11. Thank your worst teachers.

12. Call a friend instead of sending a text.

13. Answer the phone.
Oh yes, this goes both ways! Someone calls us and it’s inconvenient to talk — or maybe we’re just lazy. We then ignore their call — you never know what that call could mean to them until you pick up the phone and press answer.

14. Show up.

Do you have a friend or acquaintance who you always invite to party or an event and always find yourself wondering why the heck they never show up? Or why they always cancel last-minute?

15. Remember: time is our biggest asset.

When you just can’t help but get angry or judgmental (hey, we’re all human!) stop for a second and think about your life. If it were to end in a second, how would you spend your time? Start choosing your reactions by understanding how you want to spend your last few minutes. Live your last few minutes like a firecracker — enliven everyone around you with your colorful bursts, and fizzle out when you’re at the top!

16. Give someone the benefit of the doubt.

If someone's a jerk to you, try giving them the benefit of the doubt. Maybe they just had their first kid and are so sleep-deprived, hormone-dazed, and totally overwhelmed, that they barely have time to brush their teeth.

17. Listen.

18. Be a conversation shifter.

Shifting conversations when a conversation is going in a direction full of gossip or judgement, try to think about something related to the topic, and segue into something connected but uplifting. (Side note: If you want to know what a person is really like, examine the way that they talk about others.) If you can interrupt any surfacing negativity in the conversation and replace it with kindness, you just might be the perfect cure to a group discussion — and the most popular party invite.

I hope this list is helpful! And I challenge you to choose kindness. Remember: you are kind, you are great, you are empowered.

MINDBODYGREEN