April 25, 2019
Many years ago, when I lived and worked in Philadelphia, I participated in a program called Leadership Philadelphia. During the program, I met a woman who would become one of my closest friends. Interestingly, a few years after we met, she confessed, “I didn’t really like you when we first met.”
“Why?” I responded, completely surprised by her statement.
“You were much too friendly with everyone and I wasn’t sure it was genuine,” she said. “However, I now know it is your personality.”
“Whew,” I thought. “Aren’t we supposed to be friendly and bring joy to others?”
The fact is, people like being around positive people, while being a “Negative Nellie” is unattractive.
I’m not saying there is anything wrong with being sad or upset or angry about certain situations. However, I don’t believe we should live in that place for too long.
So how do we bring joy to our friends, family or coworkers? Here are some suggestions:
Maintain a Positive Attitude—When you’re surrounded by negative energy, be a beacon of positivity. As the saying goes, life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it. Therefore, you make the choice of whether you want to react positively or negatively. Either way, life will continue to happen.
Give Positive Praise—Most people don’t feel appreciated or valued. Complimenting someone is one of the best ways to bring joy. Take time to notice something special or different about them. Did they ace a recent project at work? Do they have on a great outfit? Are they wearing a new lipstick color?
Uplift Someone’s Spirit by Spending Time with Them—A few months ago, I and a few girlfriends got together and took Sunday dinner to one of our older friends who is going through a difficult time. She was so appreciative of the gesture and the joy we brought to her.
Bake Them Something—During the Thanksgiving holiday, I always bake a few extra sweet potato pies for special friends. I only ask that they return the pie plate if they want another one. Guess what? I get them all back for the following year!
Live with Gratitude—Sometimes we forget how blessed we are. Keeping a gratitude journal helps remind us of all the positive things that are happening in our lives.
We all need to be responsible for bringing joy and positivity to the world.
These are just a few suggestions for how to bring joy to others. What are some of your favorite ways? Share with us!
“Know that the happiness we feel when we bring joy to others is the greatest happiness in the world.”
Mokichi Okada
Often, when I tell someone to “Keep Dreaming,” it comes from a sarcastic place and means “this will never happen.” However, as I reflect on the crazy, challenging year we all experienced in 2020, I think it’s time to get back to our dreams literally.
At the beginning of 2020, I had big dreams. I had planned a February vacation trip to Thailand, a women’s conference in March, Florida in April, Aruba in June, and Hilton Head with cousins in October. All plans were canceled indefinitely. Getting refunds/credits from travel agencies, airlines and hotels became a significant challenge and took lots of energy.
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Hi! I'm LaNella Hooper-Williams. Through my blog, my mission is to give you tips and practical tools that will help you build a powerful brand and accomplish your personal and professional dreams. You’ll learn strategies that help you manage your personal brand, get noticed and rewarded for your unique talents, and gain greater career focus.
