Free (parking) Validation for Life
"Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around" - Leo F. Buscaglia
What would you do for validation? Would you stand in line for hours? Maybe even park a few blocks away?
Would you change your everyday routine to make time for free validation? Probably. But I'm not talking about parking...
Say What?
What I'm talking about is self-esteem building, life affirming, positive reinforcing, good finding, genuine verbal validation. The kind some people so desperately need to hear, but rarely do. These words can heal broken relationships, give someone courage, even talk someone off of a ledge.
In a world where most of the talk you hear is negative, it's easy to miss how powerful a positive word can be. Unfortunately, today's society saves it's good news and joyous messages only for birthdays and certain holidays, usually in the form of a card, written by someone who gets paid to do it.
Below is one of the best videos I have ever seen, especially in relation to positive, uplifting, words of affirmation. It is very entertaining, but do not miss the message. I understand that not everyone likes a happy ending, or even positivity in general, but they can still watch the video I guess.
You might roll your eyes and say something sarcastic, and I could call you a cynic, but that would be judging you, and it goes against the overall message in this hub. So I'll simply say you're "rough around the edges" but I won't make any excuses for you. But alas, I digress. Enjoy the film..
I know what you're thinking. "I've never in my life seen a DMV that looked like that!" Get over it. You're missing the point.
The point is, we can all make a big difference in someone's day, if not their life, with the offering of a kind word. It's really not that hard to find something good to say about a person if you try. Really try. You never know how it might come back to you, tenfold. Although that really shouldn't be your only motivation.
Just remember this: "Words are like fire - you can use them to warm somebody up, or to burn them down." - Laurie Woodward. For every one you burn down, it's another bridge burned. And the more bridges you burn, the less people can reach you, and the lonelier your life gets.
So the next time you meet someone who seems to be having an "off" day or is obviously underappreciated, say something uplifting, encouraging, or complimenting, and I think you'll find there will be two people who feel better because of it.
"I can live for two months on a good compliment" - Mark Twain
