It's Friday, and time for another Thought Tale hour at the Henderson's. While delivering some paperwork to a government agency today, the front desk staff stopped me as I did my normal eye contact, smile, sign in, dart to the left move. "Hi, we were just saying as you came in that it's always nice to see you every month. You always have the best smile, and it just makes our day brighter. Is your name really Joy?" I sort of chuckled, thinking she must have misspoke - of course my name is Joy. Wouldn't it be breaking some kind of rule to sign in to a government agency with a misnomer? "Yes, that's what my parents named me." "You certainly wear your name," she said, smiling back. Such an easy thing for me to do, even when I slog in feeling beat up or hot or tired. A simple connection that makes a day. Wow.
Did you know that a smile is contagious? It costs nothing to give, but reaps great rewards for both the receiver and the giver.
Mother Teresa of Calcutta once said, “Every time you smile at someone, it is an action of love, a gift to that person, a beautiful thing.”
It’s amazing that your simple smile can brighten someone’s day in a moment’s notice. Too often we underestimate the power of a smile. Although it may be considered the smallest act of caring and it takes little or no effort on our part, it has the power to turn a life around—in fact more than one. Like the ripple effect of a pebble tossed into a pond, your smile will spread far beyond the first person who receives it. You never know how many people will benefit because you smiled first.
But the real truth is, a smile also benefits the giver....
Not only will you enhance someone’s day but you, too, will benefit. When you make a conscience effort to smile throughout your day people will remember you in a positive way. My experience today smacked me in the face to remember this.
What took me by surprise was that even though I wasn't aware that I was “always” smiling, these seemingly bored front desk folks seemed to notice. My point is that even if people don’t always verbally acknowledge your smile, they will associate you with what stands out most in their minds.
Have you ever noticed someone who is always smiling? Take a moment and think about how they made you feel. Did that person make a positive or negative first impression? When you were at your last party, was there one person that comes to mind whose smile made him or her stand out?
People are always watching you, paying attention to how you react to any given situation. That’s why making sure you have a smile on your face throughout the day can make such a difference in your life and the lives of those around you.
Les Giblin—renowned lecturer and author of the well-known book Skill with People, said, “If you're not using your smile, you're like a man with a million dollars in the bank and no checkbook.” The key is to use it with intention. You intend to make a mark that will last.
Daily doses of intentional smiling are easy to give...
- When someone smiles at you, smile back. I always wonder why people don’t smile at me when I smile at them. The more you smile, the easier it gets.
- Smile when you answer your phone. People can hear the difference in your voice, and it can produce positive results.
- Smiling makes others feel welcome, special, and appreciated. Flash a smile, and warm up the room.
- Think positively about yourself and others. Through that mind-set, smiling will come more naturally.
- Smiling even reduces stress. Did you know that stress could actually appear on your face? Smiling releases tense facial muscles and helps you to breathe.
- Be the first one to smile when you walk into a room. It sets the tone every time.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Thank you for your comment!