"Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around" - Leo Buscaglia Whether at a restaurant, at the movies or while at a cafe, when someone is providing me a service, it's always important for me to ask for their name. I don't do this to attract attention to myself or to make anyone uncomfortable, I intentionally do this because I want to genuinely express to this individual how much I appreciate their presence, their service, and help. In other words, you matter and you have value. There is an interesting study that was published in Brain Research Magazine that shows how certain parts of our brain light up when we hear our own name. (read more about it) "A person's name is to that person the sweetest and most important sound in any language." A couple of days ago, my wife and were at Fred Myer's grocery store. Once we had found all that we needed, we did what everyone else normally does, we got in line to check out. As we began to place our groceries on the conveyer belt , the checkout lady warmly greeted us. As she began scanning our things, I noticed she had a name badge, me being me, I said, "hi Cathy, how are you doing on this fine evening?" She looked at me kind of surprised that I knew her name with a look that said, "do I know this person?" She continued scanning a couple more things, when all of a sudden she stopped what she was doing and said, "oh my god, I'm so sorry I didn't recognize you. How have you been?" My wife and I looked at each other with a smile and I responded with, "we've been good Cathy." After that, she began to share how busy her day at work had been. She then asked, "so, what have you been up to lately?" Now, I know I could have just went along with it all and see where all this would go, but I felt I needed to come clean and tell her that we had never met before that day and that I noticed her name on her work badge. When she connected the dots, she felt a bit embarrassed, but we all had a good laugh about it and continued on with our conversation as she continued to check us out. As we got our things together and were ready to leave, I said, "Cathy, it was a pleasure to meet you and thank you again for all of your help." On the way back home, I couldn't help but think about Cathy's reaction as she heard me call her by her name. I wondered how many Fred Myer visitors would notice her name on her badge and care enough to say, hello Cathy. "A person's name is the great connection to their own identity and individuality. Some might say it is the most important word in the world to that person. It is the one way we can easily get someone's attention. It is a sign of courtesy and a way to recognizing them." - Joyce E. A. Russell | The Power of Using a Name As someone who currently works in the retail world, I know there are times when it can feel like I am seen only as an object used as a means to an end and that's ok, cause it's in my job description. But when someone goes out of their way to make a human connection and call me by my name, that's awesome and very much appreciated. Sometimes we can be so caught up with ourselves and what we are doing that we can miss out on an opportunity to practice kindness. I can't tell you enough how this one simple practice can show another person how much you value and appreciate them as a human being. Who knows, it just might impact your life too. It's the little things that can make all the difference in someone's day. So let me encourage you the next time you are being served at a restaurant, at a coffee place, at a grocery store, or ordering some popcorn at the movies, take the time to simply call someone by their name and watch them light up. "The use of their name will ensure they will remember how you made them feel...A person's name is the doorway into their world."
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