I was having an awful day. You know those days where you want to put your head down and avoid the world a little? The kind of day where work becomes a refuge because concentrating on tasks feels easier than thinking about everything else going on around you.

So that’s what I did. I buried myself in work and focused on developing a presentation I’d been avoiding for weeks. It was the perfect task for that kind of day — absorbing enough to quiet my mind for a while.

When I finished, I sent it to a colleague whose opinion I value enormously. He’s one of those people who is known not just for his capability, but for his kindness.

I didn’t think much more about it until a reply arrived a few hours later. His feedback was warm, enthusiastic, and genuinely considered. He pointed out specific slides he liked. Reflected on how the content could work well in the workshop. Encouraged the direction I was taking.

The thing is, he had no idea I was having one of those days. He wasn’t trying to rescue me. He was simply being the kind of person he always is. Kind. Thoughtful. Generous with encouragement.

But it changed my day more than he probably realised.

And it made me think about how little we often know about what’s happening at the other end of an email, a conversation, or an interaction. We rarely know who is quietly struggling, overwhelmed, doubting themselves, or simply trying to hold things together.

And yet it takes so little extra effort to respond with warmth, encouragement, or care.

Sometimes a few thoughtful words can shift the weight someone is carrying without us ever even knowing we’ve done it.

And maybe that’s reason enough to choose kindness whenever we can.