Suppose you are meeting a friend at a party. You know you are meeting her, but you don’t know who she is. She has not yet introduced herself to you. You want to make a good impression on her and decide to say something nice about her.
Would you feel it was important to be kind and respectful when meeting someone for the first time? What if she were the one who had not introduced herself? Would you still feel it was important to be kind and respectful?
Summary Table
| Being Nice | Being Kind |
| Being nice means doing nice things. | Kindness comes from the heart. |
| Being nice is for the sake of being nice. | Kindness is for the sake of doing good. |
| Being nice is to please people. | Kindness is to help people. |
Saying something nice about someone is a nice thing to do. We want others to like us, we want them to like our work, and we want them to think well of us in general. However, there is a difference between being nice and being kind, which is different from what most people believe or think they are doing when they are being nice.
Most people think that being kind means being polite, gentle, quiet, considerate, soft-spoken, soft-hearted and always trying your best. While all of these things are nice, they are not the same as being kind. Kindness and niceness are different.
Let’s look at the definitions of these words.
What is Being Nice?
Being nice is not only showing politeness and consideration, but also having a good attitude. Being nice can be shown in many ways. Some examples are:
- Showing courtesy by saying “please” and “thank you”
- Being pleasant in conversation and smiling while talking to someone
- Giving compliments to others when they do something nice for you or help you out of a difficult situation
- Being kind to people who are weaker than you such as children, the elderly, disabled people, or even animals
What is Being Kind?
Being kind is more than just being polite and showing consideration. Being kind means having a good attitude and treating others with kindness and respect.
Being kind means being considerate, caring, generous, understanding, sympathetic, gentle, tolerant, kind-hearted and loving. It is also a way of life that shows in our actions such as:
- Being thoughtful of others
- Treating others with respect and kindness
- Not judging or blaming others
- Helping others without expecting anything in return
- Being kind and gentle to yourself by showing love and respect for yourself
The Similarities Between Being Nice and Being Kind
Being nice and being kind are very similar in the way they are used. They both mean to be kind to other people. Both are positive qualities. Both mean to be a nice person.
But there are some differences between being nice and being kind. Let’s look at these differences and see what makes them different.
Being Nice VS Being Kind
The acts
Being nice means doing nice things. Kindness comes from the heart.
The purpose
Being nice is for the sake of being nice. Kindness is for the sake of doing good.
The intentions
Being nice is to please people. Kindness is to help people.
