(Part one of a two-part series)

You get back what you send out.

I am a very “up” person and people frequently ask me how I maintain my enthusiasm. I do several things, including reading an average of three hours each day for the past 26 years. One of the fun things I do is to give people my special greeting. Whether it’s eight o’clock in the morning or eight o’clock at night, I always try to greet others before they have a chance to speak to me.

My greeting is always the same, whether I’m in Auckland, New Zealand, or Augusta, Maine. I use an enthusiastic “Good Morning!” Interestingly enough, 85% of those who respond will respond by saying “Good Morning.” – even if it’s eight o’clock at night. Many of them cut it short before they finish the word “morning,” and then say, “It’s not morning!” And I respond, “Then why did you say, ‘Good Morning’?” They tell me it’s because I said “Good morning.” The point I make is significant. If you go out in life looking for friends they’re hard to find; but if
you go out in life to be a friend, you will find them everywhere. What you send out is exactly what you get back. You send out a “good morning,” and in most cases you’ll get back a “good morning.” Send out a cheerful, positive greeting and most of the time you will get back a cheerful, positive greeting. It’s also true that if you send out a negative greeting you will, in most cases, get back a negative greeting.

I encourage you to make this approach to life a way of life and I will SEE YOU AT THE TOP!

Editor’s Note: Try this out! The next five residents you see, call out a cheerful, “Good morning!” Change the tone of their day (and see if it changes yours too)!