“For beautiful eyes, look for the good in others; for beautiful lips, speak only words of kindness; and for poise, walk with the knowledge that you are never alone.” – Audrey Hepburn.

I love this quote for so many reasons, especially about Audrey’s message of kindness. Etiquette at its core is kindness – being kind for the sake of being kind. To me, kindness is the epitome of good manners. Whether you’re holding the door open for someone or simply smiling and cheerfully waving to a neighbor, these small yet hugely impactful acts of kindness are what modern etiquette is all about. Ask yourself, what does etiquette mean to you?

Certainly good manners equates to table manners, hand written thank you notes, and general politeness, however what we can all strive for this year and beyond is to have beautiful manners by being kinder. Baking cookies for a friend who is having a hard time, giving a compliment to the barista for brewing a fabulous cup of coffee, or making a dinner party guest feel welcome can brighten their entire day. And how amazing does it feel to do something nice for someone else! And so, I’ve created a list of 10 ways to be kinder this new year, and I promise it will impact you just as much as it will impact those around you.