Smile and Look People in the Eye

(image from Keep Calm Gallery via Operation Nice)

I usually buy a cup of coffee when I go to work in the mornings. The woman who works at the little coffee stand, Diana, knows almost everyone in the office. At least it seems this way. She certainly knows the regulars, such as myself. And she knows everyone's orders. I'm not sure if she remembers my name, but she knows that I am a "medium decaf latte", and she knows I had a baby about a year and a half ago, so she occasionally asks about my little boy.

Diana doesn't just impress me because she can remember people's orders. She impresses me, because she is excellent at her work, and she genuinely seems to enjoy it. At least that's the impression she gives by engaging her customers. She smiles, she talks to people, and she also calls a lot of us "hon".

I've been trying to focus on being a better customer lately. (I think I'm already a pretty good customer of Diana's.) I have noticed that when I'm in a checkout line, I often keep my head down. I move my items along, gather my money, pay, and then collect my belongings as quickly as possible. Rarely do I even look up to notice the person serving me. Over the last few weeks, I've been looking up, smiling, and looking people in the eye. It's amazing what a difference it makes! I've gotten lots of smiles and many more "have a nice day"s. Even in grumpy old Boston.

So look people in the eye. Smile. Tell them to have a nice day and mean it. Read this beautiful blog. Do your part to make the world just a little nicer.