Today is National Say Something Nice day, a lesser known holiday with the goal of spreading happiness and encouragement within communities. You can celebrate by saying something nice to everyone you encounter throughout the day or sending kind words to friends and family who need it most. No matter how you choose to celebrate, we can all agree the world needs more positivity these days. 

And there’s sound science behind the benefits of compliments and encouraging words. You have more than 60,000 thoughts a day, and many can be negative. We tend to remember negative things more than positive ones and beat ourselves up over perceived missteps. This can make us overly critical—of ourselves and others—and lead to increased anxiety and unhappiness. By acknowledging positive traits in yourself and others, you redirect negative thoughts and teach yourself a new, more productive way of thinking. 

Positive words also increase performance. All of us can remember receiving a compliment and getting a rush of happiness and pride. And studies have confirmed that people who receive compliments while conducting an exercise performed better than those who do not. 

This National Say Something Nice Day, the Be team encourages you to spread positivity within your community. Here are some ways you can celebrate:

  • Send encouraging words to your colleges and/or employees. Let them know you appreciate their work during this uncertain time and compliment their strengths. 
  • Give yourself a compliment and spend 5-10 minutes meditating on the positive words.
  • If you have kids or young people in your life, reach out with a compliment about a recent victory or a unique talent. 
  • Share a positive message with a frontline worker or someone struggling during this challenging time. 
  • Leave a positive review for a local business and, if you can, order a dish for delivery. 

For some, it can be challenging to come up with and deliver a compliment. We’ve listed some thought starters below in case you need some inspiration.

  • You are an excellent communicator. 
  • I really admire your positivity. 
  • Your work ethic is amazing. 
  • Things have been crazy lately, and you are keeping up the great work.
  • You are so thoughtful. 
  • This is my favorite restaurant in the area. The service is always wonderful.
  • Thank you.

How are you going to celebrate Say Something Nice Day? Let us know in the comments below.