• Papanca@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    Yesterday.

    And i make it a point to make sure i make everyone i meet feel heard and seen. So, i might wave at people collecting garbage, i make eye contact with the cassier en give them a warm smile, while wishing them a nice day. I might smile at random strangers in the street. I have had beautiful experiences doing this, and quite frequently people give me this startled look and then hesitantly smile back. And i do this sincerely, because i truly belief most people have a hard time already and i want to give them at least a nice moment in the day.

    It makes life so much better. For people i meet and for myself as well.

    • cheese_greater@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      Honestly, this can be very much be done and people crave it. People crave being noticed and affirmed and getting to engage with others on more than just a superficial level (as long as you respect their boundaries and recover if you faux pas at some point). People can be very gracious/graceful when someone reaches out to them in this way and will often “play-along” because I’ve noticed basically everyone refuses to be the first one to step out of their comfort zone and take a chance pal-ing around with a stranger but I can find a way to make most people comfortable and maybe even get a chuckle or 10.

      Its been very good news for me and the good news for you is you can too, if only you do this ONE weird trick strangers love

    • HerbalGamer@lemm.ee
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      1 year ago

      I might smile at random strangers in the street.

      yeah that would make me nervous

      • Papanca@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        Usually, the nervous people won’t make eye contact. And it’s not really an ‘in your face’ contact i make, i try to be a bit subtle about it, if that makes sense. I never had anyone react as if it was unpleasant. For the record, it’s not like i am this extravert person, i am very introverted and i had to learn this. But it was worth it.