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Spread a little sunshine

“If you can’t say anything nice,” our mothers told us, “Don’t say anything at all.”

Fair enough. And I’d like to go a little farther.

If you can say anything nice … please do it!

A compliment can do wonders for a person. And not only for the person who receives it. It also feels good to be the one who offers a bit of praise. I’ve been thinking about this since I noticed something the other day.

I went to see the physician’s assistant at my pain doctor’s office. Brandon is just a peach. So, as we were wrapping up, I told him how much I appreciate his gift for speaking plain English, laying things out in a way that a patient can understand, and sounding like he actually cares.

Really, he’s very special. And I said so.

You should have seen his face light up. He patted his chest and said, “Thank you. I’m going to keep that in my pocket all day.”

And I believe he did carry my verbal bouquet through his day, and maybe beyond.

The X-ray technician didn’t talk nearly as much. She was, let’s say, low-key. Everything from her hair to her posture to her gray scrubs said she was staying under the radar. Everything except those lavender Crocs!

So, I said, “Hey, I love those lavender Crocs.”  And her whole demeanor changed in an instant. We had an actual conversation, as we headed for the X-ray room, about adding a splash of color to an outfit.

It’s impressive, what even a little bit of praise can do.

Maybe that’s especially true in a health care setting, where people are often disappointed, impatient, even angry. And many of them say so. Loudly.

For the people who work in doctors’ offices, clinics, and hospitals, a slap in the face may be at least as common as a pat on the back.

But I’m thinking the need for acknowledgement goes way beyond medical offices. There is so much negativity in the world. Such political polarization. So many defensive…and offensive…people.

And of course, there are some who benefit from fomenting all that ugliness. You hear from them on social media platforms, podcasts, and political rallies. And maybe at your family gatherings …

That relentless negativity has a lot of us tuning all of it out, or trying to, anyway. And some of us are asking, “What can I do to change things? I’m only one person, and not a powerful one, at that. How can I make an impact?”

Here’s a red-hot idea.

Say something nice to somebody today.

Make it a point to compliment their work. Tell them how they impressed you with something they said. Comment on their earrings, their jacket, or yes, their Crocs. Not to promote phony flattery here, but if you genuinely admire something, say so!

Or you can make it more general. My sister Rebecca often wraps up conversations with customer service professionals, tellers, and that guy at the grocery store by saying, “I appreciate you.” Who doesn’t like to be appreciated?

Will we solve all the world’s problems with a compliment or two today? No. But we will put a smile on somebody’s face, send them into their next human interaction in a better frame of mind, and generally brighten their day.

And we’ll brighten our own day at the same time. Do this with me today, will you, and let us know how it goes.