Henry and I belong to an athletic club in town. It's a beautiful facility with lots of members of all ages -- busy, young families, elderly people working hard to stay fit, of course, those tough and buff athletes and everybody in between.
One of my "exercises" --- pun intended, is to greet people. I'll say, "Good morning."
or “Hi." or, at 6am, when I'm walking IN and someone is walking OUT, sometimes I'll say, "Finished already? You lucky dog!" or "You go, girl!" Henry grins every time, and every time I tell him, "Hoop, I'm spreading good will & cheer."
I must say, I'm stunned at the number of people who don’t respond--- even if we make eye contact. And don't get me started on eye contact. It's rare everywhere. Not just at the gym!
Anyway, I'm not just greeting people as an "exercise." I'm "spreading good will & cheer" to encourage camaraderie and communication and connection. Because I believe, when we have small connections, small interactions, that we all feel better. And when we feel better, we get along better, we work together better, and we're more likely to listen to someone else's idea or point of view that might be different from ours.
Here's my point, you don't have to greet everyone on the street or at Home Depot or Target, but I encourage you to say, "Good morning" or "Hi” to people at work or at church or the regulars at your coffee shop or at your gym. In my view, there's never been a more important time to "spread good will & cheer." The world needs it. We all need it.
And when you make the effort, it'll enhance your Confidence, too.
Thanks for reading.
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