Go ahead, make THEIR day.

Most of us live busy lives. Sometimes those days roll on and nothing but crappy days. Want to clear that up? Make someone elses day. Example. You're at the check out and the cashier ask you how you are. You could mumbles "Alright" but instead why not brighten up their day with something off the wall? "Oh, I'm a little bloated today." I did that once and the young cashier gave me a funny look and broke into laughter. Made her day probably. Felt good.

A jail is a dismal place to work. Our psychologist once asked me the same thing. "How are you?" I said, "Hey, is this a personal or a professional question." He damn near spewed his coffee. I always get a smile and a nod from Doc but he doesn't ask that anymore. A coworker has a new hair style? Why not say something positive about it?

I'm a firm believer in Karma. You will get out of life what you put forth. You having a crappy day? Make someone elses. It costs nothing and the return might be that your day improves. Little effort required. The alternative is wallowing in misery. Try it, you'll see that it works.

Good advise indeed,I changed my outlook to my fellow Brothers and Sisters and have had nothing but postive results.I mean true life changing results.The Universe wants you to be happy and have fun.As Intrepid says just try it,go on,you know you want to.

great thread

is this not the real meaning of our lives on Earth?

to make someones day a little better?

i know thats what i aspire towards

im definitely gonna give the cashier some laughs next time hehehe

It works. In our quest for individuality we have lost sight of the purpose of society: Cooperative Functioning. Nothing wrong with individuality though, lest I appear to be a conformist myself. But there is a reconciliation between the two.

Shine a little light on the narcissists and misanthropes. Woohoo!

I appreciate the sentiment behind the original post, and I can see the poster has a good heart. But nonetheless there are many people who want to keep interaction with strangers at a minimum, especially in big cities. I'm one of them. For psychic self-defense, as an urban dweller, I learned decades ago to shut out people to the greatest extent possible and disappear into an inner shell. I just simply can't live in a city of tens of millions any other way. I have no desire to be friends with the guy who serves me coffee or even checks out my liver at the hospital...all I ask for is a reasonable level of competence and polite silence, and the ability to disappear down into myself, losing myself in my thoughts, whatever book I happen to be carrying at the time, my iPod, whatever. I think I'd go insane if I had to banter with everyone I ran across on a daily basis.

Be careful talking to strangers, what you say can be used against you in a court of law.

On the flip side, if someone asks you how you are doing and you've had a particularly bad day what would be the appropriate reply?

Originally posted by Walkswithfish
Be careful talking to strangers, what you say can be used against you in a court of law.

There's no need to go Andrew Dice Clay on people to make them smile. A little quip that they aren't expecting can do it.

On the flip side, if someone asks you how you are doing and you've had a particularly bad day what would be the appropriate reply?

Feelings are contagious to a certain extent. Share them and other can be influenced by them. What do you want to share? Because that's what you get back. Like I said in the OP, if you're having a bad day, lift anothers spirits, that can lift yours in return.

Great post Intrepid! The whole idea is simple but can have a profound impact. I'll join you in your quest for the ever elusive phrase "you just made my day!"

-E-

I call it pattern interrupt.

Those people are there to serve us, but that does not mean that they are our servants. They are human beings, even though their job is robo-like.

Sometimes I just hold my creditcard or my paper longer and they'll pull it, It's #ing funny.

Sometimes I pay all my stuff on coins...

For 2 or 3 seconds I opened a window of opportunity, I made their day a bit more interesting.

Platinum rule: treat them as they want to be treated.

This is a great thread!

Im a very outgoing person and will talk to anyone (if im in the right mood lol), and I always talk it up with cashiers - just making sure I tell them "hope your day is going well, have a great day, etc etc". And smile at everyone. Im pretty big on that

To be honest, being a female, I tend to this with women only. Seems if I behave this way to a male, he thinks im hitting on him

Another thing I used to do was when I lived in the WDC area, anytime I would use a toll or go thru the Baltimore Tunnel and use that toll, I would pay for the person behind me. What sparked me doing it, was once it was done for me and was such a great feeling.

[edit on 6/14/2009 by greeneyedleo]

reply to post by intrepid



awesome.
This totally works. I live like this.
Look straight at them with a smile, most of the time people have no choice but to cheer up!
It's weird tho that sometimes people will get paranoid...almost like they think you WANT something, which ruins the vibe, which makes me mad.
energy stealers.
sometimes, though, it amazes me that those same people will remember, and you can tell they try to make it up to you...you can feel it, which makes me happy, and we've both learned a lesson.
snf op.
and here's to the gift of gab!!

Originally posted by greeneyedleo
Another think I used to do was when I lived in the WDC area, anytime I would use a toll or go thru the Baltimore Tunnel and use that toll, I would pay for the person behind me. What sparked me doing it, was once it was done for me and was such a great feeling.

That's genius. Great idea. It cost what to make that persons day? Couple of bucks?

reply to post by silent thunder



that's kind of sad, bud.

i've figured out that 99% of misgivings are all in my head.
you don't have to do it every day, either. Just when you feel like it, and when you don't.

Myself, i never listen to music or anything in public as i want to be aware of the things going on around me....I look at people like you sometimes and I wonder if maybe your defense is kind of turned around into a sort of accidental offense of some type. Like, the ipod listening book reading person just bums me out for some reason sometimes.
I dunno. It's not a big thing, I just maybe get the feeling that you think i'm not worth your awareness, or something?
there's something inherently wrong with that.

Lol, if i saw you, i guarantee i could make you laugh.

Good advice! Being a good example of service to others is a great thing. Depending on one's personality and delivery skills humor may or may not reach them. Sincerity seldom misses. Asking them how they are and meaning it, for example, extends the humanity.

Can you make yourself feel better while putting others down? I don't like having bad days. I don't like people having good days on my bad days. So if I have a bad day and see someone happy what could I do? Should I ask why they are happy then try downplay them or one up them? It's not fair if I'm having a bad day and others aren't. So making others feel bad so others feel good is a way to keep balance. Nobody has the right no be happy all the time because if everyone's happy, nobody's sad. I didn't mean any of this btw.

i agree with the whole karma outlook on life. its simple, just treat people how you want to be treated. im not really that religious but id o try to live my life in an honest and decent way. for example the other day i received 10 bucks too much change at wendys. i gave it back to the cashier and they looked at me like i had 2 heads and then said thank you. i also have a thing for moving turtles out of the middle of the road.

i try to do this as much as possible. I treat all people i come into contact with respect, and it never hurts to let that person trying to make a left turn go, or let that person get in front of you.

i love cheering people up. I have a nice story. Last week i went to the pharmacy to get a script and i also was on my way to work and so tired so i picked up an nrg drink as well. well she rung it up and i didnt have enough for the drink, so she added in what i needed, i was quite embarrassed but thanked her greatly.

I got to pass it along last week. Im in training for a new job now and at lunch one of the girls was just sitting there and i asked her why she wasnt eating and she said she was rushing around the house so early and totally forgot her lunch, so i went into my purse and pulled out the 2 dollars and some change and told her go to the caf and get herself something to eat~!

karma all the way, and i really believe it has had a very positive impact on my life.

reply to post by infobrazil


Aww man, I worked in retail as a student and that just annoys me, especially people paying in coins ~ unless it's a senior citizen, they can do what the hell they like.

I really do try to do this and I especially go out of my way to do something nice if I'm having a crappy day.

To all the people that don't want to get involved with strangers, you can still do something like pick up a piece of litter and put it in the trash.

reply to post by jokei

You got that right! I've had a personality shift toward being a mature, thoughtful person the past few years and it is a remarkable place to be.
My educational background is psychology and I spend a lot of time at work observing people and situations. It is sad how many people are more frightened by kindness than by cruelty, you can see people flinch when someone compliments them or does something nice because sarcasm is so common now. People seem to spend a lot of time waiting for the left handed slap. One thing is for sure, few people can differentiate between normal conversation and rudeness now, I often lose track of how often people pause when you make conversation because they anticipate a mean remark.

Someone in front of me dropped $3 today and when I chased him down to give it back to me he sort of yelled "thanks" and ran off. Yes, I am a fat, middle aged woman luring you with $3 to rob you, dude!