Have you noticed it? The right or wrong word that can change the rest of your day. You're doing it to others too, you know. You probably don't realize how often something you share about yourself is inspiring someone, changing them that slight little bit. Changing their mood, possibly even making them make a different decision in a moment. What if we did that consciously? What if we looked at every interaction as an opportunity? Depends on what the situation is. If it's your boss, maybe it's an opportunity to connect as a friend...or as an equal for once. Depends. If it's a stranger, then maybe it's an opportunity to surprise them and speak. Offer as a gift the power of your smile or of your brilliant wit (in some cases the smile is a safe bet). I had this moment on the train yesterday where yet another person just stood and stared. This is very common, and the common response is of course a defensive, blank stare back. Whatcha want lady. What if you smile instead? You can tell the surprise, the slightly embarrassed smile back and they look away. You know, people are constantly giving Americans a hard time for being inauthentic. Having that plastic smile on our faces. I agree, we do tend to overdo the cheer, and people can tell when it's not genuine. But why not keep the cheer, but put a little authenticity behind it. Think of it as a gift. They'll know!
