1. It’s good for your blood pressure.
When I am having a pleasant conversation with someone, I notice my breathing slow down and my whole body relax. When I am annoyed, I tense up and get all squinty-eyed like a feral cat (not a good look–in addition to high blood pressure, it gives me meanness bags around my eyes that no Chanel cream can wipe away).
2. It’s attractive to be nice.
People notice how you behave. If you are smiling and being friendly, even though you would rather be ripping your toenails out with a dull knife than listening patiently to some idiot explain (insert dim, obtuse topic here), people want to talk to you. OTHER people. Interesting, possibly cute/rich/intellectually stimulating single men type people. So smile and look attentive for 5 minutes.
3. Nice is fabulous.
The goal is to be fabulous. Mean is kryptonite, the anti-fabulous, the wrinkly, bitter, haggard older sister of fabulous that people simply tolerate. Everyone wants to be around nice people. And one day you might stop being such a b*tch and decide you want some more friends. So suck it up and stop being so condescending.
For more advice on HOW to be nice (EVEN in winter, EVEN when hungover, EVEN when the salesperson at H&M won’t let you bring all your damn clothes in the fitting room) click here. Hint: the first step is coffee!
NB: Thanks to Hybrid on Unsplash for the featured image in this post.