Be Friendly

This is part of my series on how we can be better than Switzerland.

We are new to our neighborhood. A few months ago, we were waiting in the car for our son’s bus to arrive to pick him up. A woman was walking by and she started telling us, “You can’t park there! It’s dangerous, and someone might hit you.”

While she was correct and we could have parked better, her approach could have been kinder. She didn’t say “Hi.” She didn’t introduce herself. She didn’t say “Welcome to the neighborhood. “ She just started by telling us what to do.

I am not faulting her. Her approach is pretty standard. But we can do better. We want to be a better county and a better society.

We can start by simply saying “Hello,” to people. I find so few people do it, and so many more of us could. When I lived in Switzerland, I was surprised how, when I walked the dogs in the morning, the little kids on the way to school would say “Gruetze,” the standard Swiss greeting. Even the little kindergartners!

The reason that we are not as friendly is that we have become disconnected. We have become accustomed to social media and its impersonal nature. I think we can improve the quality of our lives simply by saying “Hello” more often and introducing ourselves.

This is important in demonstrating that we are all in this together and that we respect one another. I think it’s essential to be present and in control of our lives. I think many of us get caught in needing to be productive, and in the case of the woman needing to get her walk done. Many people walk, not simply because they enjoy it, but because they feel it’s a healthy thing to do physically and emotionally. They overthink it. Walking becomes something on the to-do list. “I have so much to do. I have to do this and that, so I'd better get the walk in.

Take time to pay attention to the people who are right in front of you. Make time and demonstrate control of your life by taking time to respect and pay attention to the real people in front of you.

An Experiment

Here is something you can try. I tried it years ago. I made an effort to say “Hi” to everyone. I was shocked that within a month, the number of my friends had doubled. I was shocked! I was still the same person. I was still living the same life. All I did was the kind gesture of saying hello.

Make an Introduction First

What I am suggesting, and what I will be the first to do, is to be friendlier. Rather than simply talking to people immediately, say hello and introduce yourself. It doesn’t take much, but it builds a fundamental connection to others and reminds us that we’re in control of our lives and that we’re all in this together.

• “Good morning.”

• “Hi there! I’m new here. Can you help me?”

• “Hello. I haven’t seen you before. My name is David.”