There’s an adage that says that people may not remember what you do, but they’ll certainly remember how you made them feel, and at no time is that more true than on Say Something Nice Day, observed on June 1 each year. This holiday is about lifting your co-workers, family members, acquaintances, even foes, with genuine kind words — being a “lifter,” and seeing how much healthier and happier you feel in the process. It takes discipline. In some cases, you may feel that negative beliefs you have about certain others are most definitely based on truthful reality. The challenge of National Say Something Nice Day is to put those beliefs aside — no matter how warranted you feel they are — and find something you really appreciate in a given person. That is, it’s not about syrupy false compliments. If you exercise your mind, you can find something positive about any of the people you come across today. Maybe you like the hairstyle of the cop who just wrote you a ticket. Maybe you admire the management style of the co-worker that got the promotion you were passed up for. Look within yourself for the positive, and it will come back to you tenfold.
History of Say Something Nice Day
On July 31, 2011, the president and CEO of the Charleston, South Carolina Speech and Hearing Center, Mitchell Carnell, published a short Amazon book called “Say Something Nice: Be a Lifter!” The book was and is really about the health benefits you receive when you lift others up instead of tearing them down. Carnell, who is also the author of the Kindle books “Speaking in Church Made Simple” and “Random Acts of Kindness,” comes from a background of knowing the effects of positive words and communication. His column on business communication ran for 14 years in the “Charleston Dispatch & Courier’s Business Review.”
But it was before the publication of “Say Something Nice” that the idea of setting aside a day for doing just that, germinated. In 2006, Carnell’s work in communication and good works was officially recognized when the mayor of North Charleston, South Carolina proclaimed June 1 as Say Something Nice Day in recognition of Carnell’s communication efforts. Local and national Baptist and Presbyterian organizations joined in, and the day was formally recognized.
So, today, try to practice being positive from sunup to nightfall. We’ll remind you of another adage: “If you can’t say something nice, don’t say anything at all.” That’s a starting point but, on National Say Something Nice Day, it’s worth the effort, however difficult, to go beyond silence and put a mark on the positive side of the board. It’s long been known that happy people live longer and are generally healthier so, at the very least, you know you’ll get a benefit even if you have to swallow your pride. Even better? We’ve found that if you dig deep, saying something nice is not such a bitter pill to swallow after all.
Say Something Nice Day timeline
Mitch Carnell receives his Ph.D. in Communication Disorders from the University of Alabama.
North Charleston, South Carolina mayor Keith Summey shines the light on Mitch Carnell’s work and suggests that a day be put aside in honor of saying something nice to others.
Mitch Carnell’s influential book, “Say Something Nice: Be a Lifter!,” is published by Amazon Books.
Carnell publishes his latest work, “Our Father: Discovering Family.”
Say Something Nice Day FAQs
Do you have a nice day this year?
October 5 is National Do Something Nice Day.
Is there a National Smile Day?
Each year on the first Friday in October, World Smile Day devotes a day to smiles and spreading random acts of kindness.
How much do Mitchell Carnell’s books cost?
Our research shows that the most efficient way to read Carnell’s material is with your Kindle Unlimited membership, which allows you to read most of his titles for free. One exception is the more recent, “Our Father: Discovering Family,” which lists for $17.00 in paperback.
HOW TO OBSERVE SAY SOMETHING NICE DAY
Acknowledge an accomplishment
It could be a co-worker’s completion of a big project or presentation. It could be a friend’s finally making their dream of traveling to Europe come true. It could be complimenting the A’s on a student’s report card and ignoring the D. The point is to find something someone has worked hard for, and let them know you appreciate how much work it really did take.
Appreciate an aspect of someone’s personality
This is one of the easier ways to find something nice to say. Everyone has one trait that stands out, something that makes them uniquely them. If a person in your peer group is always ready with a joke, or always serves themselves last, or knows how to defuse a disagreement, simply say that you have been aware and that you like that one thing about them.
Thank someone for being there
People love to hear things like, “I just want to thank you for being a friend. I don’t know what I would do without you in my life.” And we all have people we feel that way about. On National Say Something Nice Day, just make sure to verbalize the feeling to your friend or acquaintance, and watch the smile appear on their face.
5 AMAZING FACTS ABOUT Mitch Carnell’s Hometown, CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA
Double honor
Charleston’s Ashley and Cooper Rivers are both named after the same man — Anthony Ashely Cooper — who, as one of King Charles’ Lord Proprietors, chose the settlement’s location.
A dubious distinction
In 1718, the pirate Blackbeard — one of many who plagued Charleston in its early days — took hostages from several ships entering the harbor, and ransomed them for a chest full of medicine.
“Would you look at that …?”
In 1861, Confederate soldiers fired the first shots of the Civil War on Charleston’s Fort Sumter — while locals sat on their porches to watch and toast the event.
Shake, rattle, and roll
The largest earthquake to hit the Southeast up to that point — a 7.8 on the Richter scale — hit Charleston in 1886, taking 60 lives and causing damage as far away as Ohio.
Take in a show?
From 1736 to 1740, the Dock Street Theater — America’s oldest theater — stood at the corner of Church- and Dock Streets in Charleston until it burned, only to be rebuilt some 200 years later.
WHY WE LOVE SAY SOMETHING NICE DAY
It’s good for the health
The saying, “Laughter is the best medicine,” isn’t just hot air. Medical science has long held that endorphins — the chemicals produced by positive feelings like laughter — have a positive effect on a body’s health and well-being. And you can spark their flow by being nice!
It’s nice to hear something good about yourself
Don’t forget, it won’t be just you who celebrates National Say Something Nice Day by speaking kindly to co-workers and friends; you’ll likely be the recipient of an earnest compliment or two today. What goes around, comes around!
It’s a nice break from all the strife
We recommend going on the socials on June 1, searching up the hashtag #SaySomethingNiceDay, and taking in all the kind, loving, and positive posts and memes to remind yourself that there really is a heck of a lot of good in the world.
Say Something Nice Day dates
| Year | Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | June 1 | Sunday |
| 2026 | June 1 | Monday |
| 2027 | June 1 | Tuesday |
| 2028 | June 1 | Thursday |
| 2029 | June 1 | Friday |
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