My Plea to the Grumpy People. Or At Least, the Non-Smilers…

YOUR SMILE is like

P U R E G O L D.

Don’t UNDERestimate the power and impact your SMILING FACE has on…

YOU, most importantly ,

Your Love Partner,

Your kids,

Strangers, Etc.

I wanna skip to STRANGERS.

Our families most likely get most of our attention… as they should. And your COMMUNITY needs you too. The people that you don’t know need you more than you know. More than ever, people are feeling detached and disconnected from others.

I’m not one to rant, but I can’t help but notice the seemingly grumpy people in the grocery store. I’m defining “grumpy” as those shopping in the grocery store that don’t look at or engage with anyone else. Those that don’t say “excuse me” when they walk in between you and the thing on the shelf you’re looking at… or the people that don’t say “thank you” after you stepped aside for them to let them walk by to give them extra space. I confess this example is a personal peeve of mine. 

I grew up in the deep south and spent my middle school and early high school years living in a tiny town in Georgia called Madison – population 4,000. In Madison, you were expected to greet those you passed on the street or in the store. Even when driving your car, you knew the social norm was to at least lift a finger… quite literally… on your steering wheel to wave to the passing driver. Otherwise… you were simply regarded as ‘rude’. 

I’m probably too-often triggered by some people’s indifference towards their fellow humans, even when dealing with perfect strangers. But I don’t think I’m alone in the least bit, regardless of my southern upbringing. When you smile… your whole face lights up. Your eyes smile. And that has a real positive impact on whoever gets to see your face in this state. 

Smiling… even when you’re faking it… signals to your brain that you are happy, which sparks your brain’s release of hormones and endorphins, including serotonin and dopamine that increase those good feelings.

Think about how you feel when you exchange a smile with someone. Even a stranger you’re passing. For me, it’s a reminder of how we’re all truly connected as humans, of the power of kindness and warmth, and the emotional impact we have on each other… even while going about our own busy-ness in the routines of our daily lives. 

Just think about the immense power you have to spread joy and love in your community with your kindness, your positive engagement, your encouraging smile, a quick compliment or warm acknowledgement… whatever your style.

There are a lot of people feeling UNSEEN in these complex times, whether they’re feeling isolated, lonely, or simply struggling with their own personal situation. Your smile, your “thank you”, your “excuse me”, your “hey I like your shoes!”… could be the very thing that makes someone’s day. That helps them feel SEEN. And important. And connected to others. So if you’re not doing so already… I lovingly nudge you to SMILE MORE… and say a quick “hello!” Connect more with others, even through small, quick gestures. For when we do… we OURSELVES get to feel and experience the love and kindness we’re giving, which in turn, elevates our OWN emotional state.

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