Page 87 - Creeative Thinking

I’m confident that you will experience complete success with this exercise just as you
have with each of the exercises thus far.

The following step is likely to take you a little further out of your comfort zone. And
that is good. As you’ve probably noticed already, any feelings of anxiety toward an
exercise will usually disappear after it becomes a little more familiar. Now that you
are adept at catching the eye of a passer-by and exchanging a quick smile, the next
logical step is attempting to talk to him/her. Don’t worry. This is much easier than it
sounds.

When you pass someone on the street, smile and say “Hello”. Say “good morning” to
the man beside you on the bus and a smiley “thank you” to the bus driver. Smile and
say “hi” to the lady behind the counter at the coffee shop down the block. A cheerful
“Have a nice day”, to the fellow you buy your newspaper from would be a great start
to your day as well as his. If you are feeling especially adventurous, smile and say hi
to people you encounter as you walk home after work. And, don’t forget to give one
of your biggest smiles and your friendliest “How are you?” to the nice elderly lady
that lives next door to you.

As I’ve said before, this may feel a little unusual at first, but stepping out of your
comfort zone always does. And don’t worry about being phoney or pretending to be
someone you are not. After a while it won’t seem quite so forced, and you’ll actually
enjoy seeing the smiles you put on the faces of people you see everyday. And
remember smiling is highly contagious. Just wait and see how quickly it catches
on….. And SPREADS!

The next step on the road to being friendlier to people is to say nice things to others
more often. You may have to bite your tongue occasionally, at first, but once again,
practise makes perfect.

Try complimenting someone at work on a handsome new suit. He really doesn’t need
to know that it reminds you of something your elderly uncle would wear. And instead
of complaining, why not give your mother a pat on the back for the home made
birthday cake she brought to the party even if it was a LITTLE DRY. After all, it is
the thought that counts. Worksheet Five will help you with this particular step.

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