«Everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about. Be kind. Always.»
— Robin Williams
Those words from Robin Williams have been echoing in my head lately. They remind me of how quick we often are to jump to conclusions about people’s actions without ever pausing to consider what might be happening in their lives. If someone cuts us off in traffic, we assume they’re careless or rude. If a coworker seems standoffish, we take it personally. If a neighbor gives us a bad look, we think they don’t want to talk.
But what if, instead of defaulting to the negative, we trained ourselves to imagine the best possible scenario? Maybe that driver is rushing a sick child to the doctor. Maybe that coworker just got bad news about a loved one. Maybe that neighbor is silently battling a struggle we know nothing about.
I was talking to my brother this weekend about this, and he reminded me of a story in The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. Author Stephen Covey talks about an incident on a New York subway. Covey was annoyed by a father whose children were running wild, so he suggested the man should “control his kids a bit.” The father then explained: “We just came from the hospital where their mother died about an hour ago. I don’t know what to think, and I guess they don’t know how to handle it either.”
Covey described this as a paradigm shift. His perception immediately changed from irritation to compassion. That moment taught him—and teaches us—that when we look beyond appearances, we avoid misjudgment and foster empathy.
In our own lives, the same lesson applies. We live in a time when suspicion and division can feel like the default attitude. Too often, we are instantly defensive. Many times, we make snap judgments and overreact without ever pausing to consider the full picture. A sharp word, a bad look, or a small mistake can make us assume the worst about someone’s intentions. Each of us has the power to choose differently—to take a breath, step back, and think before reacting. That small pause can make all the difference.
Choosing kindness doesn’t mean ignoring reality; it means giving people the benefit of the doubt and believing there may be more to their story than what we see in the moment. And it means creating a culture where empathy is stronger than suspicion, and where compassion might have the last word. A little patience and an open mind can shift the tone of the day, and maybe even our attitude—we could even inspire others to do the same.
If we could wake up each morning with the attitude of “good intentions and a positive, open mind,” we would be better prepared for what’s to come and less likely to overreact to the negative situations we encounter during our day. That can be a start.
Kindness costs nothing—but it has the power to change everything.
