Most people have heard of Southern hospitality, but to experience it is something entirely different. Coming from a place where a taxi driver would just as soon hit you as look at you and where walking down the sidewalk can be a competitive sport, it’s quite noticeable the effect the South is having on me. I wave people through intersections, smile and say hello to strangers and regularly strike up conversation with locals. The thing is that these little changes have gotten me thinking about how being openly and honestly nice can make a radical change in my life (or, really, how it already has). People seem to respond to niceness in kind and the opportunities that creates are amazing. From a returned smile and hello to an evening of conversation and even the development of new friendships, this niceness thing really works. Now don’t get me wrong, I haven’t lost my penchant for sarcasm, but I have been indulging my latent tendencies for kindness, happiness and friendliness….and let me tell you, it’s kind of fun. So give it a try in the next couple of days and let me know how it works out for you. We just may start a movement.
And if you have the time, check out David Brooks’ latest NYT op-ed on some theories on why we humans like to work together and how evolution may have made us that way:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/04/07/opinion/07Brooks.html?em
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