What makes your day beautiful? What do you think about when you go to bed at night? Do you smile looking back at something that happened during the day? It might be a small thing, and that’s where the beauty lies.
Every day we get dozens of chances to demonstrate style and class one small gesture at a time—from being friendly at work, to yielding for another car in traffic, to showing gratitude to someone who helped us. A kind look can brighten someone’s day. A hug can bring warmth and strength. It’s these little things that help people feel loved and happy—that empower them to change, to move on, to believe. They’re the things that get noticed, that make a difference, that matter most.
The smallest act of kindness is worth more than the grandest intention.
Oscar Wilde
When there are days when nothing seems right and everything seems messy. The work, the relationships, the mind — everything seems difficult and hard. On these days, you need to bring in the things that would require no effort to give you some strength to go through these days.
The magic of starting to focus on these little things is that you will gradually shift your thoughts from what is missing in your life to what is there. It will create a little positive loop in your brain feeding you with motivation and energy. You will start to create your own happiness bit by bit. And you can then make a difference to your near and dear ones when they are in similar situations.
If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion.
Dalai Lama
Small gestures—whether signage or speech, body language or handwritten messages—can send big signals about who we are, what we care about, and why we do what we do. Even (maybe especially) in this age of digital disruption and creative destruction, never underestimate the power of a small gesture. Don’t let technology overwhelm your humanity.
So go ahead. Write a note. Answer that email. Look someone in the eye. Call that person back. Lend a hand, an ear, a shoulder. Be a big fan of little gestures, and others will be a big fan of yours.
Here’s a lovely story that touched me a few years back
Once upon a time, a person was migrating to a new town and was unsure if he would enjoy it, so he went to a zen master and asked: “Do you believe I’ll be able to love it in this hamlet? Is everyone friendly?”
The master responded with a question. “How did the folks in the town where you grew up treat you?” “They were obnoxious and selfish, enraged, and lived for deception and theft,” said the man. “Those are exactly the types of folks we have in this village,” the master explained.
Another visitor to the community asked the same question a day later, to which the master replied, “How were the people in the town where you came from?”
The visitor replied, “They were kind and lived in harmony, and they looked out for each other. For the land, they respected one another and were seekers of spirit.” “Well, that’s exactly the type of folks we’ve had in this community,” the master explained.
Moral of the Story
Whatever you see in the world, the world sees in you. If you only see the nasty and selfish side of people, that is what they will see in you. So be nice to the world, and the world will be good to you. If you treat the planet well, the world will treat you well.
Kenrick Vaz 