One Gesture That Will Change The World

There are two kinds of people.  Those that remember names and those that don’t.  The first group will meet you once, then see you in the grocery store three months later, and say hello to you by name.  People who remember your name make you feel special, don’t they?

The other type (that’s me), can go into a social situation with a sincere intention to remember names, but fail miserably.  I’ve tried all the tricks:  there’s the old “meet and repeat” trick in which you say their name multiple times during the conversation.  The problem is, when I do this it makes me feel like an inauthentic salesperson.  Then there’s the association trick:  You meet a lady named Cathy Smith, so you might imagine a cat doing some blacksmith work.  This never works for me because when I try to recall my association, I’ll remember a bird on a boat or something completely unrelated!  (If you’re interested in trying out some techniques for remembering names, Forbes has a good list here .)

Bottom-line: Why is it important to remember names?  Because it’s a good way to connect with others, develop relationships, and it shows you care.

Whether you’re good at remembering names or not, I have another idea that every single person will be able to do immediately without any training or practice, and this one act has the power to change the world.

Interested?

Next time you shake someone’s hand, hold their hand in yours, look them in the eyes, and silently say a prayer or a blessing for them.  (NOTE: This works awesome with hugs too!)

Just a simple word or phrase:

“Bless her.”
“Help him.”
“Peace.”
“Love.”
“Give her strength.”
“Protect her.”
“Thank you.”

This simple practice, which doesn’t take longer than a second or two, is a powerful act of good will that I learned from Dr. Lloyd John Ogilvie, Chaplain of the United States Senate (1995-2003).

Friends, in a world where so many of our interactions are digital, it’s more important than ever to be intentional with our in-person, actual physical interactions, and what better way than this?

Ok, it’s your turn.  I challenge you to try this with three different people in the next couple days.  Don’t be shy in patting your grocery-bagger on the shoulder and sending up a prayer/blessing.  I’d love to hear back from you after you’ve done this.  Was it hard, awkward, surprisingly easy, fun?

Thanks for your part in making this world a better place!

Have an awesome day!

Jill xx