Maybe one of our Most Underutilized Assets…

Take a moment and think of a recent instance where some person’s interaction with you made you happy. Chances are near 100% that somewhere within that interaction the other person’s delivery included a smile.  Yes, a simple smile. Such a simple tool that we all possess but rarely do we consider its incredible power and value. Maybe that’s because the impact a smile has may be stretched out over a longer period of time, which means the feedback we receive when we employ this asset doesn’t totally represent the entire value that was exchanged at a precise moment. The most powerful part of a smile is that it can be revisited by the receiver of it over and over and over…forever.

                  The power of a smile came to the forefront recently when I was boarding a plane in Boston with my wife and one of our sons. Getting through TSA at a busy airport with our 25-year-old son, who has down syndrome and type-1 diabetes, went well but is always a procedure that heightens our stress and anxiety as they pull him out of line and test his insulin pump and hands for explosives residue, wand every square inch of his body, and most times preform a thorough pat-down. For the record, we fully support the work of the TSA and accept it as part of the privilege of flying. TSA consistently performs their job with great professionalism. After successfully navigating TSA and heading to our gate with only a few minutes to spare prior to the boarding process, my wife and I reminded each other that prior to 9/11 we used to show up at an airport and walk directly to our gate. What a completely different experience back then.

                  Back to the boarding of the United Airlines plane. Once a person is past the anxiety of getting through TSA, the next concern is always wondering if there will be an open overhead bin space near your seat to place your carry-on in. When we were about 6 rows from our seats, I locked eyes with a “Service Angel” (you probably refer to them as flight attendants) a couple of rows in front of our seats who was attentively helping people find their seats and stow their luggage. She looked at us and shared the biggest and warmest smile as she welcomed the three of us aboard. When she did, all the stress and anxiety we may have been feeling simply floated away. Ahhhh…the power of a smile. But the story gets better.

                  Flying in comfortable clothes, I happened to be wearing a shirt that included a cool logo that had “Sleeping Bear Dunes” on it. After this “Service Angel” welcomed us aboard and helped us with our carry-ons, she asked if we were from Michigan. Upon finding out that we called Michigan “home” she proudly shared that she had grown up in Michigan near Battle Creek and Kalamazoo, LOVES Michigan even though she presently lives in another state, and has great and vivid memories that are tied to the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore that runs 35 miles along Lake Michigan’s northwestern shoreline. It was an instant positive connection that we all enjoyed that began with a sincere and caring SMILE.

                  During our two-hour flight I began to focus on people smiling and the impact it was having on other people sharing our flight. Shout-out to United Airlines, ALL of the “Service Angels” maintained a cheerful attitude and a consistent smile as they carried out their responsibilities throughout the flight. And it paid off well as the majority of passengers on the plan appreciated their effort and returned their smile. That’s POWERFUL! But did those smiles shared have lasting VALUE? Consider that each time I re-live the flight experience in my mind it brings another smile to my face, and here I am writing about it while smiling.

                  Lesson learned? Well…actually I’m in the middle of a lesson that I intend to keep learning from until the day I croak my last croak. You see, I’m sending out smiles everywhere I go to everyone whose eyes lock into mine. When I’m in my car, shopping, in a meeting, on a walk, working out, at church, and anytime I’m with a group of people whether I know them or not. And I’ve learned how to smile sincerely, so people know that I mean them well with the smile I’m sending their way. Do I always get a smile in return? Nope. But it appears to come back to me about 65-70 percent of the time and that gives me hope. Hope that the majority of the people in the world have a firm dose of kindness in their heart that they’re willing to share through the simple act of smiling. A smile is such a powerful asset that each of us possess. A smile is a non-verbal form of communication that can include hope, love, compassion, care, and inspiration. Side note for you to ponder: It’s impossible to be angry and smile at the same time (you just tried to prove me wrong, didn’t you?). 

                  So, how about YOU? Why not perform your own social experiment? Choose a day and commit to sharing a smile with every person you lock eyes with and prepare to be amazed at how much better you feel at the end of the day. You’ll have made other people feel better because you gave them hope, even if was only for a moment. Create enough of those moments and you’ve just made the world a better place for all of us. String 21 days of smiling together and now you’ve made it a subconscious habit…and your life just got better. All because of the power of a simple smile. Hey…I Believe In YOU! GiddyUp!