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Be a super-friendly person
Tuesday, 5 June 2007
Sometimes, we all feel grumpy and miserable. Our bodies ache, our head is clouded and our circumstances a poor. Yet there's a simple trick that can help relieve many of these problems. It's to be super-friendly.
What do I mean by that term exactly? Well, I mean trying to carry out an enthusiastic conversation with just about everyone who we interact or spend time with. You'll be amazed at the difference consistently doing this can make to your life.
I'm not talking about pestering people with your presence. Just generally being friendly to them and letting them see you expect nothing in return.
Let's say you get up in the morning and you're not feeling too good. You've got some aches and pains, there's a mountain of unpaid bills, and someone important to you has done something to make you mad. In other words, you feel like crud.
Well, you could do two things. You could drag your head around on the ground all day being miserable, or you could say "to heck with all that" and try being super-friendly. Almost immediately that you decide this, you should feel a surge of power inside.
And when you step outside and start being friendly to people, you'll notice a few things. The first is that the majority will give you positive feedback. The second is that when you do this consistently, you'll bring a whole bunch of new people into your life with the many opportunities that can open up.
The trick is to simply be friendly for its own sake. Don't expect anything from people, don't make value judgements on how they should react, and don't get upset if they don't immediately return your friendliness. Some people are shy with strangers, some are occupied with other thoughts and some are just plain miserable. If one person isn't friendly back, simply move onto the next one. Nothing is a big deal.
And don't be too fussy who you're friendly with. Most first impressions of others are wrong. That old guy who catches the elevator in your block may eventually invest in you if he gets to know you well enough. That unattractive stranger may have some cool friends. That woman behind the check-out at the local grocery store may be able to give you good advice on something.
In my experience, most of us tend to under-estimate other people. Everywhere around us are human vessels filled with opportunity, yet we ignore them because we're snobs or too shy.
Get into the habit of being super-friendly to almost everyone you have the chance to. Simply smile and say "Hi, how's the day been treating you?".
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