Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Expectations

Have you noticed that people modify their behavior to meet your expectations?
  • If I smile first the other person, whether I know them or not, almost always smiles back.
  • If I'm friendly with a clerk, they are almost always friendly back.
  • If I wave to another driver, they almost always wave back.
  • If I treat someone with kindness and respect, they almost always reciprocate.
  • The converse is also true.
What if we always expected the people we know and meet to be good, honest and exceptional? What if we not only expected it but treated them as if they were always good, honest and exceptional?

I think the world would be a pretty good and happy place.

6 comments:

WonderWhyGal said...

Laugh, laugh, laugh and the world will laugh with you. Smile, smile, smile and the sun will shine right through

-Goofy

One of my favorite records (yes, the full size one played on my Bee Gees record player) was a Mickey Mouse Club record (and I still own it...and the Bee Gees record player) with the Goofy song on it. I think those are great words to live by.

Your expectations aren't asking for anything unrealistic either.

Sending smiles and laughter your way.

Voie de Vie said...

Well ... I'm always good, honest and exceptional ... but, alas, the rest of the world isn't always. I still hope for the best, though! :)

Kathryn Ray said...

@WWG - Mickey Mouse club record on a BeeGee's record player... ah, those were the days. :-) I'm so impressed that you still have them.

Happy, Smiles, Joy and Peace.

Have a Beautiful Day! :-)

Vivian said...

Very much agree on treating someone with kindness and respect and they'd reciprocate. However some people do need to be told to be polite and professional, I seem to encounter a lot of them lately and I don't mind lecturing ;-)

Teje said...

Hello Kathryn! You have it so right! I'm happy you found your 'drum'! And I'm always so happy to see your alpacas, your alpaca dog and especially the young one! Have a lovely weekend! Teje

Heather Woollove said...

True in the Midwest...
'not so much' on the East coast I'm afraid!!
...yet still I persist! :)