You may not know it, but even the smallest smile and “Thank you” can affect someone long after your interaction with them.
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This may or may not be something you have thought about, but I think about it a lot. And, it’s not because I feel like I make a strong impact on everyone I come into contact with, but it helps me be the best I can everytime.
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I don’t know how the person checking me out at Target is doing. Maybe by asking them how their day is going and giving them a genuine smile will turn their day around. Maybe they are having a bad day and someone being nice to them was all they needed to snap out of their negative mindset. Usually the effect you have on people is long after you leave them, but sometimes right away.
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The long term effect could be if you went on a missions trip and helped people in need. You don’t know if the help you gave them will change their lives forever or just in the moment. Maybe you showed them that there is kindness in the world or people that love to help without receiving anything back. You just don’t know, which is why you need to be your best and show kindness to everyone you see, whether you know them or not.
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I LOVE smiling at people when I am out and about, shopping, buying food, working out at the gym. This is LITERALLY one of my favorite things. I had heard a rumor that people in NYC don’t like to smile (I found this isn’t true), so when I visited, it’s ALL I did to EVERYONE. I love it when someone will slowly go from nothing to a smile because you smiled first.
YOU NEED TO EXTEND THE KINDNESS FIRST.
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Just remember that if you are rude to someone, they might remember and feel that hurt for some time. If you say something rude to a customer service person on the phone, they might take it personally and think whatever you said about them is true. And, if you help someone that drops everything they were holding on the ground and pick things up for them, they might be so grateful and have a positive experience of kindness in the world.
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Think about this and just be nice to people. Nobody's perfect, so we will mess-up at this, but do your best as much as you can. Happy Sunday.