The Power of "Hello"

Have you ever thought about how you present yourself to other people?

Are you normally happy and positive, or do you carry a dark cloud around you wherever you go?

Would you believe me if I said that a smile followed by a "hello" is infectious?

I used to be desperately unhappy and forgotten as a child. But as an adult, I'm the opposite, especially on the days when I'm not feeling like myself. I've discovered that those of us who exude happiness, will almost always get a smile in return.

The power behind a happy greeting such as hello is more important than you think. Not only is it easy to say, but when you put a smile behind it most people will acknowledge your greeting with one in return.

People cannot help it. If you smile at them, they will smile back, and if you follow up with a hello, then you get their full attention.

A hello means that I've noticed you and I want to acknowledge you. Being seen by others is vital to our mental health. It's even more important to those who are in low paid jobs and get very little money for the hard work they do.

A simple smile and a "hello" to a cleaner can mean so much more than just a greeting. Most people walk past their trolleys of mops and buckets without a second glance. How hard is it to say "hello" and make their day a little brighter?

The janitor who spent his weekend fixing the plumbing in the boys restroom because it was destroyed by students might be looking grumpy first thing on Monday morning. Why not give him a smile and a hello to tell him that you see him?

Everyone's life matters. What people do doesn't have to define who we are. I've met some incredible people from all walks of life. They all have a story to tell and it might surprise you.

Give it a try and tell me what you find out.

Think about your commute to work and how many people you see every day.

How many of them do you ignore, and go about your day? Do you only say hello to those you work closest with?

I know we get told by our parents not to talk to strangers, but does it have to dictate our entire adult world? I think that by the time you're an adult, you have the ability to know who is safe to chat with and who isn't.

When you stop for gas and buy a stick of gum, do you say hello to the person behind the counter? Or do you buzz your credit card in the machine and leave without a smile?

How often do we forget to acknowledge those around us? The people who help us or serve us in some way.

It doesn't take a minute to say hello, so why don't we do it more often?

I see it happen less often now than before the internet and smart phones. People are still the same as they were twenty years ago. I was only a kid back then, but I still remember my grandparents telling me to say hello to everyone we met. They were usually friends and extended family, but if we were travelling someplace, I was told to be polite to those I came across.

I carried that trait with me into adulthood. When I see people, I say hello and smile. I do it when people stare at me in the street. It's a brief acknowledgement that states - yes, I see you."

I say hello to those around me at the food market, while waiting at the checkout counter. A smile has got me through conversations that I normally wouldn't have, and it's fascinating to find out more about people and their opinions.

Especially those whom I don't know.

I was once stood at the deli counter picking up some freshly baked croissants and an older man came up next to me. He waited politely while I made my choice and then he made comment about the mixed seed bagels. He told me that he loved them, but he had to take out the sunflower seeds for his wife because they stuck between her teeth.

What a wonderful man spending his time taking out the tiny seeds for his wife. That is love right there.

Your "hello" can open doors for you that you never knew were there.

Another time, I was buying apples with my son and talking about making cobblers. An older lady came up to me and advised me to get the "green ones," because they made the best cobbler. She was right, and I've been buying them ever since.

People do have the most incredible stories and wisdom. You could tap into that too if you let people in.

It can start as simply as a smile and a "hello."

My name is Lizzy. I'm a trauma survivor, a wife, a mom, a teacher, and an author.

If you like reading my posts, then please follow me.

For more about me: www.elizabethwoodsauthor.com

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