Reposted from Patricia Katz’ Pause Newsletter Vol 14 No 16-April 23, 2014. Subscribe at www.pauseworks.com.

Reflection:

While taking my morning walk along the riverbank trail, I came across a couple of staff from the Meewasin Valley Authority. They were working their way along the trail, emptying the garbage cans scattered throughout the park.

It’s a workplace setting that has a lot to offer especially on a warm spring day. You can’t beat the great outdoors with a river view.

Still, emptying trashcans can’t be the most pleasant job in the world. They’re jammed with sticky cans and bottles and the remnants of fast food lunches in the park. To top it off, they’re overflowing with stinky, leaky plastic bags of doggy do.

On my way past, I gave the fellas a wave of my hand. And then I thought, “I could do better than that!”

So I stopped in my tracks, turned around and said, “Hey, guys, thanks for all the work you do cleaning things up out here. It makes a big difference for all of us, and I really appreciate it!”

And they, in turn, stopped what they were doing, looked up, and rewarded me with two of the biggest grins I’ve seen in some time. I smiled right back and carried on.

Action:

And in that small exchange, I was reminded that it doesn’t take much to lift another’s spirits or make someone’s day.

We simply need to move ourselves off auto-pilot, tap into an appreciative intention, and act on the opportunities that are right in front of us.

Our actions need not be any more extraordinary than the acts they recognize. A smile. A kind word. A helping hand. They’re all simple, doable ways of making a positive difference and giving an upbeat tilt to someone else’s day.

And, by the way, extending appreciation is a definite “twofer.” It lifts our own spirits, too. Positive actions do double duty. Who could ask for more?