I’m going to keep this one short because, well, this trick really doesn’t take that long to explain. But basically, doing it will really help endear you to those around you.
Back when I was 17 years old, I read Dale Carnegie’s “How to Win Friends and Influence People”. It actually changed my entire way of thinking when it came to talking to other people. I was working at a funeral home at the time and I started instituting some of the book’s principles when dealing with my co-workers, manager, and guests at funerals. I was astonished at how much it improved the quality of my interactions! I was a better listener, I was legitimately more excited about what people were saying, and I had some tricks to show my appreciation for others. (If you haven’t read this book, I highly highly recommend it) But perhaps the biggest thing I got out of this book was the idea that I could use books (and articles on the Internet) to improve my life! My love of self-improvement was born.
Alright so here’s the trick: when you greet somebody, greet them as if you’re greeting a friend or family member you haven’t seen in a very long time.
So when I do this, I basically see the person I’m greeting and I pretend they’re my mom. Haha that came out weird, but really I pretend they’re my mom in one specific scenario. Whenever I fly home, my mom picks me up at the airport. It’s usually been a few months since we’ve seen each other and I’m always so excited to see her and she’s always so excited to me – it’s a beautiful moment! So when I see a friend approaching, I’ll try to channel some of that energy and pretend they’re my mom picking me up from the airport. I will put a huge smile on, give them a big hug (when appropriate!), and I would like to point out the difference between being excited and being obnoxious. You obviously have to reign in your energy so that you don’t freak people out. I feel like this is a trick that could be easily misconstrued. Some guy/girl will try this out and start shrieking with excitement when they greet their manager at work. Really it’s just about getting into a certain state of mind and acting excited but not TOO excited.
I’ve been doing this for about 10 years and what I’ve noticed is that people really seem to be surprised and pleased to be greeted this way. I know that when someone is excited to see me, I get excited to see them back. When someone says something nice to me, I develop more feelings of good-will toward this person. In other words, I guess it comes down to the simple fact that being nice is always the best option.
So next time you see someone that you see on a regular basis, get excited to see them! Remind yourself of all the reasons you appreciate and care for that person. Pretend you haven’t seem them in a really long time. Show this in your greeting and I promise you they will appreciate it. It doesn’t even really matter what you get out acting like this (though I think you’ll find there are plenty of benefits), it’s about being a kinder human being to those around you.
I love this one! So true!