How's Your Day Lauren

Walking in my neighborhood I was approached by an older, sweet man. He told me that he nearly didn't recognize me without my dog. Two thoughts: 1) I've never met this many before, 2) I don't have a dog. If I weren't in a decent neighborhood that might freak me out a little bit but I live in a really nice hood with pretty awesome neighbors. So instead of spraying him with mace and running screaming in the opposite direction, I asked him how his day was going. His first response when he realized I wasn't the person he expected was to tell me he has an eye appointment tomorrow. His second response to my niceties was, "Oh, I didn't realize we knew each other." Here is where I get confused. What? He asks me how I know his name. Huh? Then he says I asked him, "How's your day Lauren?" And then he tells me that he will be getting an ear exam next because he clearly needs one. Lauren was adorable. And while he made self deprecating jokes in place of utter embarrassment, he truly had no reason to be embarrassed. This made me think about how my mom and my grandma will awkwardly talk to people when we are in a check out line that isn't moving. It used to embarrass me that they were disturbing strangers. 

We are surrounded by people and we generally keep to ourselves. And if we talk to strangers it is either frowned upon as awkward or looked at as un-welcomed. Why is that? Well, we've been trained to believe that we are in a bubble and that interrupting someone else's bubble is potentially a threat or a bad thing. If you honestly stop ignoring people and start interacting there are studies that show you will in fact be happier. 

This afternoon, turn on your charm and talk to the person standing next to you that you have no connection with. Tell him about what you've got going on in your head. Ask her to watch your computer while you use the toilet. And then try to get a conversation going. Because a five minute dialogue will impact you and that person more than you realize. Do it today. You'll thank me.