It’s a simple statement but is so true. The problem here is that so many of us forget
this. We are always in such a rush to do
something, be somewhere and see somebody that we forget the simple niceties
that make life, well……. nice. We stop at
the store for milk and can’t say what the cashier who served us looked like two
minutes after we have left the store because we barely made eye contact. We have so much else on our minds and, these
days, more often than not, have a smart phone in front of our faces so we forget to "be in the moment".
Personally, I never conduct a transaction in a store or bank
while talking on my cell phone because I think that is rude so that part isn’t
an issue for me. However, I have been
known to conduct my business and walk away, forgetting to say thank you,
because I’m so distracted by life. I’ll
only realize afterward that I wasn’t as polite as I should have been. It seems that I’m so easily distractible that
it takes a while for my brain to catch up sometimes. It could also be a sign of aging too……. (we won’t go there though).
Lately, I have been conducting an experiment of sorts. I have been trying to be “in the moment” when
I am out and about. When I stop at the
store, the bank or just in Timmies for a hot chocolate I make the conscious effort
to smile, say hello, say thank you and wish the person a nice day no matter how
much of a hurry I might be in. With
those who I have done business with in the past, I shoot the breeze with them
for a moment. When I get on the bus, I
greet the driver with “bonjour” and make sure that I say “merci” as I get
off.
Every interaction that we have with others, either in person
or online, affects us either short or long term. Our mood can be ruined for the day by one
rude person who possibly doesn’t even realize that they are being rude because
they are so wrapped up in other things at the time. On the flipside, one pleasant interaction can
change your mood for the better and change your day in a good way. When somebody is nice to you, you are more
likely to be extra-pleasant to the next person who crosses your path.
Perhaps this shouldn't be a little “experiment” but
implemented as a full time attitude.
Kat
I love this. I was once a cashier at a walmart store and I can't even tell you the number of people who just ignore you. That person is a person and appreciates it when you interact with them. I try so hard to make sure that every person I connect with, whether it be the cashier at the grocery store or the guy who delivers a package, gets a kind word and a thank you.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure that most of those who seem to ignore the people they see in the stores, etc. are not bad people; we all just seem to get so wrapped up in ourselves that we fail to pay attention to the "here and now". Any of us who have seen both sides tend to be more aware and try harder
DeleteKat, you nailed it right on the head! We just need to do it. I've always been outgoing towards people when I worked. Customers came first, they loved me because I "talked" to them and smiled. I always knew I did my best for my customers every day. I've been away from that element for a few years now and while I still like to say hello and make small talk to a cashier or person in line, there is definitely a need for people to start doing this!! Great post.
ReplyDeleteThank you Barb :) Thankfully, each of one of us who does remember to be thoughtful causes a ripple effect. It's a case where one person does make a difference.
DeleteI'm so glad I popped over today. This is a great reminder Kat. As you would probably assume, I don't get accused of focusing on the positive too often :) I sometimes am so wrapped up in my thoughts, I also forget to be as nice as I can be. I'm going to try to keep this in mind.
ReplyDeleteThanks for stopping by Rhonda :) We all tend to have times when we focus on the negative too much. It's good to have a reminder to smile too.
DeleteGood shaare
ReplyDeleteAppreciate yoour blog post
ReplyDelete