January
19
One of my favorite things to do is smile. When I am around people, I am always make it a point to smile at them. Of course, this leads to me having long conversations with strangers but I do not mind. I love talking to people and it so makes the time go fast waiting in line.
Make a point this week to pay attention to strangers. You will notice they never look you in the eye. Even if they do, they look away as soon as they can or they just stare, no smile.
Energy is so contagious. You can share your positive energy by smiling. After the week of observing, watch what will happen when you start making eye contact and just flash them a smile. People become nicer to you, people may even smile back! It really changes your whole experience.
Smiling can really make a big difference in other’s lives. You just do not know…
One day when I was waiting in line for my prescriptions at Walgreens, an older man was sitting in a chair by the line. I looked up and caught his eye and smiled. He smiled back and started talking to me. Nothing but small talk but it was nice. When I picked up my order, I started to leave and I stopped to just say good bye. He thanked me for talking to him because he is used to being ignored in his old age. He said it made his day to know their were nice people out there.
All I did was smile and have small talk with him for at the most 2 minutes. Think about what your smile could do for someone…
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Cortez.
on 19 Jan 2009 at 11:56 am #
It’s true. A smile makes a big difference.
EatingLifeUp
on 19 Jan 2009 at 11:13 pm #
So bang on Michael! The feeling inside is intoxicating when you realize that your small action like that made someone’s day, week, even month.
Jeremy
on 24 Jan 2009 at 2:05 am #
A very good friend of mine (an artist) has created “The Smile Boston Project.”
Based on this entry, I think that you’d appreciate it reading about it. Check out bataclan.com
angie
on 08 Jul 2009 at 4:36 pm #
I find it very annoying and attention-seeking when strangers grin at me on the street and then require me to smile at them. Geez, MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS
Motivation Yourself and Others By Smiling at Strangers on 02 Oct 2011 at 10:01 pm #
[...] website I came across when I googled “Smile at Strangers” was the blog Living Life Out Loud where I found a story of what happened when the writer smiled at a stranger. “One day [...]
Porfirio
on 07 Nov 2011 at 6:34 am #
no true! i’m a barrio boy and where I am from, we smile at strangers. what I have noticed and MOST ESPECIALLY in the the GAY “COMMUNITY”, when you smile or flash them a grin, they usually return it with their eyebrows meeting in the middle. Just because I smiled at you doesn’t mean I am out to get you. so fucking get over yourself already. by the way, really cute smile you have