The Power of Acknowledgement

People Matter: Do the small things often.

I was challenged recently by the notion that if I want things to change around me, I need to change something within me. So, I thought I would start small and be more intentional with smiling and saying hello to people when I was out and about. You might say to yourself, well that doesn’t seem to be a big thing? And you’re right it’s not. Well that what I thought! I have been really surprised by the number of people that don’t respond back. To be fair some were legit because they were listening to something through ear buds, but some others just passed me on by like I wasn’t there.

What I did discover though was; if you turn up to the same place at a similar time on a regular basis, you will start to interact with the same people.

So, I became very intentional on my regular Tuesday morning jaunt up and around Mount Manganui (in the Bay of Plenty NZ), to say Hi, Good morning, Morena, Kia Ora or Hello to those I passed by. At first this felt awkward and forced and there was a degree of resistance. But over the weeks, I have found that people are responding back in their own different ways. I have seen a shift in people, it’s almost like they are expecting a greeting now or if they hear me ahead greeting someone else, they are anticipating it or in some cases, they greet me first and have light conversations.

It has reminded me that if you commit to consistently doing the small things often you will see a change.

My 5 Learnings:

·       Commit to being present in the moment

·       People matter and appreciate being seen

·       A small interaction can change how you feel about someone

·       Connections start with intentional effort

·       Looking up and smiling reveals different perspectives

We were designed to be in relationships with others, early humankind lived in environments where they would walk together, communicate, and connect as a part of daily life. Everyone mattered in the community. Nowadays, we need to be more intentional about bringing that human connection back. People matter, help them see it.

My 3 Questions:

·       What is a small change I can make in my life to positively affect others?

·       When was the last time I intentionally took time to hang out with a friend or family member?

·       Do I need to get off my phone and lift my head up more often?

 ” If you cannot do great things, do small things in a great way.”

Unknown

 If you have something you have learnt from this blog, or if there is something you have questions about, please contact me. I would be happy to help and to chat with you.

 Remember daily to, “Find value in your influence”