The world is a looking glass and gives back to every man the reflection of his own face.
William Makepeace Thackeray
Truly, the world does reflect what you put out. I was never more aware of this than when I worked at Verizon years ago. If someone asked me how I felt and I indicated I was stressed or upset, usually the person would respond in kind. I had an impact on how that person felt for the day.
So I resolved to respond that I felt fantastic. I didn’t want what was happening to me to impact another person. Once I changed how I spoke to others, I noticed a change in them. Almost 100% of the time, the other person would respond in kind. I might notice a smile or a bounce in their step after our interaction.
I’m not saying that you have to be a Pollyanna all day long so that you don’t affect people negatively. But think about the experience you want to people in your life to have. Are you showing that face to the world?
