It happens. We're the only one in the hallway (on the street/ in the parking lot/ anywhere)...until we're not. We immediately run through the mental list of how the other person must be making fun of us in our minds. So we play on our phone or look away until we pass them. But what if we used those moments to just make a human connection? What happens if we just smile?
1. It's so much less awkward
You see me, I see you, let's at least politely acknowledge one another? It is so much less weird than staring at our phones. Just smile and say hello- embrace the fact that there are 7 billion other human beings out there.
2. It makes your day better
There's science out there that says that smiling releases mood enhancing hormones (no really, google it!). There's also the very scientific "fake it till you make it" philosophy concerning confidence levels- you may feel uncomfortable and as if you're being judged on the way you walk, but if you can imagine yourself as confident and out-going you're already half way there!
3. It makes someone else's day better
We live in an ugly world where lonely thoughts and depression are many people's normal. We have no way of knowing what kind of day that the person across the hall has had, or how badly they need some small comfort.
4. It helps you to be more compassionate
When we walk around with our heads down and only worried about ourselves, we miss opportunities to connect with others. We have to be intentional to form real relationships; once we get out of our comfort zone and begin to interact, we realize just how badly some of the people around us are hurting.
5. People remember happy people
You're going to be remembered for something thirty years down the road. It can be your Donald Trump impression, or it can be the way you never did your homework...or maybe it can be your kind spirit and your joy. Being someone that other people enjoy being around- even in the smallest of ways- helps you to build relationships that you might not have otherwise.
6. Honestly, why not?
Life is short, and good relationships are few. We may all come from different back grounds, different experiences,and different ways of life, but human connection? Kindness? That's universal. So smile in the hallway, in the checkout line, in that parking lot. Take small moments to show other people that you care.
Going to the cinema alone is good for your mental health, says science
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