When I travel on the interstate I see a billboard.  It’s out in the middle of nowhere and all it says is “Be nice.”  That’s it.  There’s no business name, address or phone number.  There’s not a lot of eye catching colors that grab your attention.  It’s just white with big black letters.

Putting our plan of action into play using those two simple words as reference is something we’re all capable of and every day we’re presented with numerous opportunities to be just that….nice.  I have two examples from my day that I would like to share.  Neither situation cost me anything.  It was just a simple, yet fascinating display of how positive energy works and how easy it is when practiced on a regular basis.

The first one happened in two parts.  It was, of course, while I was at work.  I was approached by a woman that wanted to recover a huge ottoman she had in her family room.  I learned that she had three teenage boys and a dog so the fabric used was going to require durability.  She narrowed it down to three she liked and then asked my advice.  It wasn’t difficult to help her once she divulged the other colors she had in her room.  She also wanted suggestions on how she could attach the new cover without sewing.  I had done this type of project before so I told her what I would do.  She didn’t have the exact measurements and decided not to rely on what her 17 year old son gave her over the phone so she asked if she could return later to get the fabric.  When she returned I calculated the amount of fabric she needed, measured and cut it and then offered a bit of encouragement.  As she turned to walk away she stopped and looked at me and my co-worker and said, “Do you have any idea how pleasant it is to shop here?  You’re so helpful and pleasant.  It’s not like this everywhere.”  Being nice in this situation meant helping a pleasant woman decide on a fabric, figuring the amount she needed, cutting it and offering an encouraging word.  I was just “being nice” without realizing just how much someone might actually appreciate it.

The second situation that stayed with me was when a fellow co-worker came strolling through.  She knew I was busy but she tossed a smile and a quick “hello” my direction and when she noticed I had a break in the action she told me that someone at the pet supply store asked if she would ever consider becoming a trainer there.  She has two dogs and two cats and when I see her posts on Facebook it’s not tough to see that her pets are some of the luckiest four legged children on the face of this earth.  She and her husband offer them such tremendous care and and a ton of love so I said, “I think that’s a wonderful idea! You would be amazing as a trainer.”  She lit up and the smile on her face told me those words of encouragement made her feel like a million dollars.  It was something so simple yet so incredibly rewarding to both her and I.   Once again, I was just “being nice” but fully believing in someone for the task at hand and letting her know.

I wouldn’t have to treat customers like I do and I’ve been told I spend too much time being helpful but when there are questions I may possibly have answers to, it tends to ignite a fire in me that warms my heart and nourishes my soul.

Energy is a fascinating phenomenon.  We all possess it and it’s entirely up to us how we disperse it.  Positive energy expended returns positive energy right back to us.  (It’s the “Be nice” factor in every situation.)  Negative energy sent forward brings negative energy back to us.   It really is that simple.

I have a feeling the person responsible for the message on that billboard knew all about positive energy and they knew that when those two little, yet powerful words were adhered to,  they would make everyone’s world a better place, including their own!