Do You Avoid Eye Contact?

I've been reading about Irish culture in anticipation of a visit to Northern Ireland in mid-March. Something I read made me stop and wonder ...

People will frequently say “hello” or “nice day” or just nod and smile when passing a stranger on the street. This should not be seen as an attempt to start a conversation – just smile back, return the greeting and carry on.

Interestingly, we used to do that here in the USA as well, but somewhere along the way, we got to the point where we've stopped greeting others passing by. What's worse is we intentionally avoid eye contact.

Eye contact is important. When we pass strangers in the street or some other public place, we can be left feeling rejected if they don’t make eye contact.

While 'hello' may be a simple greeting, its impact is powerful. People need people. We always have and always will.

So what keeps us from having eye contact? Is it because we think everyone else is uninterested or too busy for conversation?

We all enjoy going to places where everyone seems very friendly. Let's do our part in turning the USA around and making it a friendly place again. All it takes is for someone to make the first move. Who knows where it will lead?

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This Week's Focus:

This week, make it a point to say "hello" or just nod and smile when passing a stranger on the street or in some other public place.

Click on the serenity sticky to print, cut and post on your bathroom mirror to remind you of this week's focus. Good luck!