Good News Friday 2/28/14

This Good News Friday is going to be a little different.  I had a revelation this week.  All this thinking positive, being nice is starting to pay off.  This post is going to be a bit discombobulated.  Patience, please.

About two weeks ago,I came across this video on facebook.  (click on "post" here and open from there:  Post by Bardakas.)  This struck a chord with me.  I showed it to one of my kids.  The look on her face said a lot.  I do a lot of things I probably shouldn't do.  Maybe now is the time to change.

I told A that I wasn't going to yell at cars any more.  No more calling them stupid, douchebags or anything else.  I will wish them well and hope they don't kill anyone.  Nearly two weeks in, I'm doing well. I don't want my girls to learn to be mean from me.

The funny thing is, when the girls are in the car with me and they see someone driving like an asshole, they just look at me now.

Aren't you going to say something??
Yes, I am.  I hope they live through the day without hurting anyone.
That's it??
Yes.  That's it.

This baffles them.  My friend, S, has this "relentlessly positive" attitude she takes when people around her piss her off. I'm trying to adopt that myself.

I'm starting to see a difference in people.

Last week the girls, bf and I went to the travel expo at the convention center.  When it was my turn at the ticket booth, I asked the man there how he was doing.  It was simple.

Hi!  How are you today?
Um, I'm good.  Thank you very much for asking.  How are you?
I'm doing well.  (I hand him my paper confirmation and he hands me the wristbands)
Thank you very much.  Have a nice day!
You, too!  I hope you enjoy your day here!

It was the look he gave me when I asked him how he was that made me realize not too many folks ask him that.  It's something so easy to do.  Take a second, look at people.  Acknowledge them.  I learned that from an interview I saw with a homeless person.  He said one of the hardest parts of being homeless was he became invisible.  No one should feel like that.

People smile at me more.  Drivers wave to me and say thank you when I let them turn in front of me.

You get what you give.  I like my friendlier world.  My kids will learn how to be nice and friendly from me.  No more nastiness.

 

Comments

  1. YaY you! It's *so* easy to get frustrated when driving, especially because you don't have to face any consequences for calling someone a jerk from the safety of your car. When I need to reign myself in, I rationalize it this way: I don't know what's going on in that person's life. Maybe they need to get someplace very very very important. Maybe they need to cut over because they aren't from the area and didn't know the lane was ending. Maybe they just goofed -- and that's okay! I hope drivers will show me the same courtesy when I'm lost and making crazy u-turns ;D
    And I agree that engaging people that you encounter in routine situations can be so rewarding - for everyone! I was once with my sister as she went through a drive thru for coffee and donuts. She was so pleasant to the guy when we got to the pick up window that it distracted him and he handed us our order without charging us. Ha! Of course, she was kind enough to tell him that too ;-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That's exactly what I'm noticing - people are surprised when you're nice to them (which is sad, really) and my world is getting nicer. I still don't like half the people on the road but I'm not going to teach my kids to be mean. That video had an effect on me.

      Delete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

It's not a bucket, it's a can

A Life Well Lived....so far

Wacky Hair Day