It’s said that how a person treats strangers is a true mark of character. There is no obvious benefit or harm with a stranger, as you feel effectively anonymous. Here’s a step by step to stranger interaction that we can all use.
- Notice Them. Look up. We all have our eyes on our phones, our ears plugged and our minds not here. Let’s disconnect with our self-made world everywhere we go, at least for a few moments, to notice the world that is around us.
- Trust Your Gut. Did you know that we can smell danger? We actually can smell when someone’s happy, disgusted or sad! And all this happens subconsciously. (I know amazing! goggle it!) So, trust your gut.
- Smile: Just say Hi. When you notice strangers, at least in America, acknowledge them. That is what it means to be part of a community.
- Appearance Matters. The outside may not be a true reflection of the inside but it certainly is a first impression. So, watch how you are in others’ eyes and be aware that you are judging others on that first impression as well.
- Watch that Body Language. As much as our appearance
counts, so does our body language. Look at each person as a whole, so that you have a sense of a proper reaction. - Don’t Take It Personally. Keep calm and move on. When someone cuts you off on the road, cuts in front of you in a line or doesn’t hold the door for you as they walk out it’s not about you. It’s about them. And yelling or freaking at them just belittles you.
- See Good. How about that unsolicited advice? Instead of thinking of the givers as obnoxious know-it-alls, how about seeing them as people who just want to do good? -Even if they are not delivering it to you in the best way.
- Don’t Need to Show Emotions. Let’s say you can’t help but be insulted and disgusted by a strangers actions. Keep your feelings to yourself. Your reaction to any action only matters if you can make a positive impact. If you don’t know the person, you can’t know how to properly react toward them. So, keep it neutral.
- End With a Good Taste. Leave a lasting impression of goodness in the strangers you meet. Be kind when you don’t want to be and lend a hand as you would to a friend. You never know how your paths will meet again.
- “It’s a Small World After All”. And getting smaller everyday… just remember.
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