A Nice and Frugal New Year's Resolution

Do you remember the movie Roadhouse with Patrick Swaze? We can discuss its cinematic genius another day, but if you saw the movie, you know that Patrick told his new bar staff to "just be nice" when escorting out the riffraff. He was so cool in his niceness - suave even. He was never unkind when drunks were hitting on the ladies or the bartender was hitting the till. He was always nice.

The Cooler...oh yeah.

As the new year approaches, many of us will begin thinking of resolutions we can make.  Maybe you want to lose 25 pounds. Perhaps you will resolve to stop smoking or exercise more. This could be the year you decide to leave the job you hate or go into business for yourself. All good resolutions, to be sure, but what if you resolved to be nicer?

I'm not talking Pollyanna stuff here. I mean honest to goodness kindness to your fellow man. How awesome would our world be if everyone just decided, "hey, I'm, not going to be a dick anymore!" Sounds oh so simple, doesn't it, but what if we did it? All people wake up on January 1st and are nice. I can hear the smirks of disbelief all the way to western Kentucky, but hear me out!

Do you know how much kindness costs? This is a frugality site, after all, so let's break it down. A wave of the hand costs how much? Nothing. A smile instead of judgment is free. A helping hand is a lot more fiscally sound than a kick in the nuts. Visiting a sick or elderly person isn't expensive, and reading to a small child will pay you dividends in years to come. So obviously, being nice is a good economic decision!

Do you know the best payment you'll receive? Being nice will make you happier. I swear. I write a blog on the InnerWebs, so I can't be wrong. If you don't believe me, science agrees with me.

How can you be nicer and become happier?

 Check out these ideas!

• Turn off negative news and stop believing everything you read. Nothing is more depressing than reading negativity all the time. It will suck the joy right out of you. Hit the comics!
• Put yourself in the shoes of someone else - just for a minute. Feel how they do and maybe, deep within you, you will find compassion you didn't know you  had.
• Volunteer! There are so many organizations that could use your special skills and smiles. Work in a food bank for a few days or with poor, hungry, tired children. See how humble you become, really fast.
• Check on your neighbors. Do you even know your neighbors? When I moved to this new city and state back in July, I was scared and alone. I knew no one in my whole town. Within a few days, I had received flowers and fresh veggies and knew the names of each person around me. I can't put a price tag on how happy that made me feel. Try it. 
• Spend more time with your family, especially your parents and the elder folks. One day they will be gone, and you will miss them madly. Let me repeat this: Spend time with your parents. Bury old grievances. When they are gone, it simply will not matter anymore, and all you will be left with is how much you miss them.

I'm sure you can add to this list, and I would love to hear your ideas! Share your nice ideas in the comment section below.

Happy New Year!

Amanda Z

Domesticology

P.S. Don't pay for someone's coffee in the Starbucks line when you're trying to be nice. Trust me, if they are in that line, they don't need your money. Donate it to a women's shelter or at-risk youth center instead.