In our last blog we mentioned how doing things to help other people feel better can help you feel better too.
So here is a list of some easy ways you can do that. I’m sure you probably do most of these already. But it’s nice to have a reminder. And the more we do of these for other people, the more likely they are to pass the positive vibes on to the next person they see. Before you know it, you’ve started an Uplifting movement!
1 – Give someone a sincere compliment. I've just realised I need to work on this a bit with my children. To them a compliment means ‘I like your *insert designer brand* shoes’. Maybe we could aim for ‘I like your style’ instead! I need to set them an example. I'm going to give a compliment to the next person I see.
2 – Show gratitude for things you might take for granted. There’s a certain admin task that Charles does that I really hate. He always does it without a fuss. And never mentions that I don’t do it. I really must thank him for that!!
3 – Give someone flowers. A wee bunch picked from your garden is somehow more mood-boosting than shop-bought ones.
4 – Give them a hug. As long as it’s appropriate. And Covid levels allow!
5 – Simply smile. This is a good one for strangers. Even if they think you’re a bit loopy, they’ll probably end up smiling back! The traffic management man working the stop/go sign at the interminable roadworks near us has taken this one step further. He smiles, waves AND dances for every single car that passes by. That’s bound to make the drivers feel a bit more upbeat about their day. Even if they ARE late for work after sitting in traffic!
6 – Speaking of driving – do let that car get out of the side road if it’s safe to do so. Don’t you find that if someone lets you into the line of traffic you feel happier and more inclined to do that good deed for someone else? Just do it!
7 – Here’s one that always leaves me feeling grateful - if I’ve only got a few items and the person in front of me with the stacked trolley waves me through the checkout in front of them. This is a really nice one to do if the person behind you has young children with them.
8 – Are you crafty or a good baker or preserve maker? Share your homemade treats with someone who’ll appreciate them. If you’ve not heard of Good Bitches Baking, check them out. It’s a win-win in the Uplifting stakes.
9 – Positive news! This is a double whammy Uplifter for me, because it also makes me feel better when I do it. If you’ve had good customer service or a good experience somewhere – let them know. Send an email of thanks. When our customers email to thank us for their order arriving the morning after they ordered it, I’m sure it makes the staff at the courier company feel good that I share this positive feedback with them. Because I get the feeling they spend most of their day fielding complaints instead!
10 – Do something for someone without being asked. I think I’m projecting here. As in I wish my kids would empty the dishwasher or bring in the laundry without being asked! Maybe if I focus more on numbers 1 and 2 and give sincere thanks and compliments when they do it, they’ll be inclined to help more often!
I just thought of a bonus #11. It’s a sneaky one I admit! How to help small business owners feel uplifted. Without spending a penny. All you have to do is share some of their online posts (or blogs, hint hint!). Or if you love their products, tell your friends about them. It’s a twofer. You’ll help us not have to pay so much to Mark Zuckerberg to bombard you with those annoying Facebook ads that follow you for days. And you’re helping a potential customer who’s looking for end of year teacher gifts, or needs to earn a few hundred dollars with an easy fundraiser to find us.
And for us that’s really Uplifting. So Thank You!
PS - I just had to Google how to share our blog posts! Apparently you have to go to the 3 dots at the top right corner of this post, click on them and it will say 'share post'. You learn something new every day!
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