give a good day.

I can check this off because it’s become a habit. I’ve also adopted the goal of Radiating Joy which is a broader version of this goal. So, I’ve achieved this goal! Yes!!!!

Giving good days is also about truly listening to other people; letting them know that they are heard, that they matter.

This is also about nurturing other people’s souls along with mine.

More than just smiles to strangers, giving a good day is also being gracious to everyone. This is something that I feel lacking. I’m courteous, always; though I feel lacking in the elegance that defines graciousness. Sometimes pettiness and jealousies drive me to act in selfish ways, and I want to get past these things because they are useless. Grace will come naturally as I evolve and mature.

I’m starting to feel compelled to smile at everyone I meet. It’s weird to go from not really smiling at strangers to automatically smiling at everyone in just 2 weeks. It’s going from one extreme to the other. Oh well – I always like to dive into things; so here I go!

Big cities, like Toronto, can have the reputation of being cold. Which is unfair because it’s difficult for many people to strike up a conversation with a total stranger, and so we move through our days without speaking to each other. For this, we’re labelled cold.

Living in a city filled with people but not being seen by the majority of them digs a profound need for city dwellers to connect with others. It may not be obvious on the surface, but we crave a soft word, a touch, anything that’s more meaningful than: “Would you like extra foam with that?”

That’s why receiving an unexpected smile from a stranger is truly touching. It’s so simple to do. Give a smile, receive a smile. Cool.

My smiling pact is going really well. It’s easier than I thought and people love it! Everyone responds well. I crossed paths with a woman that I see at the gym and without thinking I smiled at her and she returned it.
We had a moment.

I’m going to smile at everyone I come in contact with. This could be a challenge as I’m not a smiler. I smile, just not all the time. People tend to think I’m very serious when I’m actually tres silly. It’ll be good for me and the people I meet.

... by introducing them to Bruce Mau’s Incomplete Manifesto for Growth:

http://www.brucemaudesign.com/manifesto.html

They were quite exicted :).

As I was leaving the checkout of my local grocery store, I said: “Bye and have a good weekend” to the cashier. She looked up in complete surprise and said: “You too – have a good weekend”. I remembered how tough it is being an under-appreciated cashier [I was one in high school]. So rarely do people bother to acknowledge them. I will try to do this more often.