On a recent flight I was one of the first to board. As I sat there observing each person as they passed me, I was struck by how few actually seemed to be happy, or at a minimum, pleasant.
No one made eye contact. No one smiled. No one spoke to anyone around them. For the most part everyone looked miserable. I even began to ask myself, "How do they see me? Do I look as miserable as they do? Was I looking for something in others that I was not giving?"
So, I decided to do a little research. I began to score happy/pleasant versus mad/sad. As each person boarded the plane and passed me I gave them a mark. They were either Team Happy and Pleasant or Team Mad and Sad. I really attempted to be fair, I tried to give each person the benefit of the doubt. Before I chose which team they would be, I made eye contact and smiled. There were a few who changed their placement after reacting to my smile, but way too many were destined for mad and sad. Forty-nine people walked passed me and only 12 were placed on Team Happy and Pleasant. Thirty-seven of 49 were put on Team Mad and Sad.
Hey, I agree that 49 is a very small sample size of research. I also acknowledge that traveling through airports and getting on cramped planes does not always spark joy, but come on people. We can do better, and we should!
After we took off I sat there in my little seat thinking about what I had just done. I had witnessed our society. Too many people are mad. Some are sad and I am sure they have a real reason to be. However, I would bet that there are plenty who just simply are not focused on being happy.
Today, I choose to be happy. I know, I know, tomorrow will try to beat me up. Tomorrow will try to steal my joy. But today, I choose to smile and be happy! Will you join me?
Swagger On Friends!
Written by Derron Steenbergen, President of the Swagger Institute
The Swagger Institute is a full service business development company offering sales and leadership training, motivational speaking, customer service training and organizational consulting.