Last March, I was in Chicago when I personally witnessed that city, the one I love so much, close down – right before my eyes. It was the first wave of the pandemic. Now, eight months later, we are in a second lockdown. Before last March, I never heard of words like lockdown, pandemic or self-isolation. Now they are part of my everyday vocabulary.

So, in order to survive and maintain some sort of sanity, I have found that reaching out to others brings some peace to my otherwise discombobulated life. Here are three ideas I’d like to share with you.

• If you hear a song that brings back a sweet memory, send it to the friend you shared it with. It will bring some warmth and happiness to both of you.
• Give someone a compliment. Tell them how much you admire something they have accomplished. Be specific, like: “I really admire how you helped your neighbor when they couldn’t leave the house to shop for food.” We all love being recognized and we all appreciate it when someone else takes notice.
• Reach out to a friend and tell them that you are thinking of them and that you miss them. In this uncertain time, we are not sure when we can see each other in person or hug again, so use your words to reach out to people you care about. Bring up an occasion that will make them smile or send them a photo that will bring back a special memory.

If you have any other ideas on how to brighten someone’s day, even your own, please share it here. We can all use a little kindness and peacefulness right now.

Categories: Personal Development Positive Attitude Professional Development Professional Speaker
Tags: Friends, Laughter, Positive Attitude, Professional Speaker, Smile