Simple Gestures – Big Results

Along the lines of my recent post “Your Words and Actions Matter”, this post is about how we can impact others. Intentional, simple gestures can lead to big results, and can create connections, even fleeting ones, that have a positive effect on those around us, and on us.

       I never really thought about this topic until a few weeks ago at a nearby brewery - https://jerseycyclone.com/. While enjoying the last beer from my flight (a tasting option that consists of 4 x 5oz beers at this brewery) at the far end of the crowded bar, I saw a friend come in and take a seat at the opposite end. He’s had a rough time lately – and as I found out, a bad day at work that day - and since there was a seat open next to him, I picked up my glass and joined him. We talked over a couple of pints and when I got up to leave, he told me that I had made his day. Well, that made my day!

      It was a simple gesture, just walking over and sitting down, but it had a big result. By doing that, I acknowledged him, connected with him, and gave him the chance to talk out some of the stuff he is dealing with. In the end we both got a boost from hanging out and talking while enjoying a couple of pints of good beer.

      There are many other ways to impact and/or connect with others and most require very little effort. A few my wife and I practice all the time are offering repair people and contractors something to drink, use of a bathroom, and a shady place to take breaks during long summer jobs. We’ve brought donuts and coffee, burgers for lunch, and even pizza for dinner when our roofers worked late into the evening to finish the job in a single day. The surprised and grateful reactions we get are both satisfying and troubling. Satisfying in that our little gesture made someone’s day a little better. Troubling because from the feedback we get, very few people take the time and effort to acknowledge these people, treating them instead like low-level employees.

      When I am out riding my bike or walking, I always wave and/or say hello to those I pass – or at least I try to. Sometimes the other person will either intentionally look down or away to avoid any contact or is so wrapped up in whatever is coming out of their earbuds or on their phone that the opportunity for that fleeting connection is missed. I get shyness and being guarded, but the earbuds thing, particularly on a trail, baffles me. When I am on a trail I want to hear nature, that’s one reason I’m there. And when I am riding on the road, I want to hear traffic noises, if for nothing else than self-defense. Putting in those earbuds locks you out of contact with the rest of the world and may cause you to miss a serendipitous connection. At the very least you are missing the opportunity to acknowledge and to be acknowledged by others – a connection we all need.

       One final simple gesture to suggest is using 3 little words “Thinking of you”. Don’t underestimate the power of those words to lift the spirits of someone going through a tough time. Those 3 words let them know they are valued and that they matter to you. It doesn’t take a lot to acknowledge others and to connect, however briefly, one person to another.  And sometimes that simple gesture returns huge results for others and for you.

www.RetiredandInspiredat55.com   06-10-2024