Real Estate Blog - Make Someone Smile Challenge (Yes, I Mean It)

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Make Someone Smile Challenge (Yes, I Mean It)

Happy Kids and Dog I keep reading negative stuff on Active Rain. I know it's only been a very small part of AR and I know that it's all getting better.

Still, I feel a need to spread a little joy.

I have a challenge. This one is just for YOU. You won't get any points for it. It's not to widen your SOI or to up your SEO. It's just good for your soul.

I'm challenging you to go out and Be Nice.

It's easy. Pick someone, or wait and you'll see someone practically screaming to be picked for a "Be Nice To Me Project". Choose a stranger, and no fair passing out a business card.

Now, what nice thing can you do for that stranger? They'll give you clues if you just pay attention.

I started. Tonight we went out to eat at the local Pizza Hut. After we were done eating the kids went to the jukebox to flip through the song lists, and while my husband paid for our meal I waited for our waitress to box up our leftover pizza. I asked my husband if he wanted to take the kids to Dairy Queen. We decided not to, but the waitress just smiled at me and said she'd LOVE a milkshake. She said even a McDonald's milkshake would be heaven, she was working an 8:00 to 8:00 shift. (I didn't even know Pizza Hut had those!) We tipped her and left.

Well, I had my mission. I walked with my family to the car and told them we were off to buy our waitress a milkshake. Yes, my husband thought I was crazy. The kids thought it was great. I zoomed across five lanes of traffic, snagged a milkshake and went back across the traffic with our prize. The girls and I walked the milkshake back to our waitress who was practically dumbfounded. The smile on her face made it worth it. She might have had a hard day, but she was going to go home happy all for the price of one milkshake.

We have these opportunities every day. Usually it's something that requires very little effort on our part.

I'm challenging you to make someone smile. Come back and tell me about it if you want (I'd love to hear about it!) but if you don't that's OK, too. It's really for you. I'll feel good about the milkshake longer than our waitress will. And I hope I'm raising kids that will do ridiculous things for nothing more than a smile.

Posted by Sarah Cooper on 03/23/2007 05:19 PM

Comments (36)

be nice, challenge, smile

Post is included in group: Rain For Change

36 Comments on Make Someone Smile Challenge (Yes, I Mean It)

MAR

2007

Now wasn't that nice. I'm sure you made her day and that little gesture from you is something she will remember forever. Excellent Sarah. I too try to make everyone I meet smile. Did you know a kind word can saves lives? There are folks that NEVER hear a kind word. There are folks that are teetering on the edge and something as small as a kind word from a stranger can change their lives. Just do it. I like this post a lot. Thanks.

Sarah,

Good, great human labor

Hi Sarah - You are a sweetheart! I too, think it is a great idea to do some random good act. I always try to do the "right thing", even when it is difficult. It sounds like you are setting a great example for your kids. I have two girls (15 and 18). When they were young, I always made sure at Christmas they always picked out a few gifts for the less fortunate kids. When they were really little, they said why doesn't Santa come to them. I thought quickly and said, well these kids don't live in a house like you, so Santa might not find them. (that worked out well). Anyway, now that my girls are older, they both do community service work with the church, school and town. I like to think it was due to me setting the example while they were young. It's never too soon to teach them there are other people in the world, it's not just all about them!

I hope that waitress enjoyed her milkshake and I hope she will pay that act of kindness forward!!!!

Sarah... I accept your challenge!! It would make such a huge difference if each of us would take a few minutes out of our day to think of someone else. I try and pass that on to my son - kindness is contagious.

Sarah, good for you! These random acts of kindness are what we need more of in our communities. I accept your challenge! And you just may broaden you SOI, you never know. In the least you will make someones day by acknowledging their existence in a positive way.

Sarah, you are our heart and soul! I find that the nicest thing I can do everything day is rain compliments on people. I don't think most people get enough strokes in everyday life. Thanks for sharing!

Sarah,

I know you didn't tell us about this to get accolades, but you are such a sweetheart. Thanks for continuing to spread your joy.

Fran

MAR

2007

Bryant - That is such a good point, and I didn't even think of that as I was writing. Now I want to tell people even more, BE NICE!!!

Ray - Thank you very much.

Maureen - How wonderful that the little seed of kindness you planted in your kids really took root! See? Doing things for others really IS for you, too! But you already know that, and you're teaching your kids.

Heather - Yay!!! Come back and tell me how it works, OK?

Valerie - Yay!!! Another acceptance! Please come back and tell us how it went, OK?

Irene - You are very welcome. :o)

Fran - Joy is made when it's spread, if you want it you gotta give it to someone else first. Puppies know this from birth, people have to learn it.

Maybe today the codgers can make YOU smile!

Jay

Sarah, You are one incredible thoughtful woman! What a super nice thing to do. When I grow up I want to be just like you! Thanks for the challenge, I will see what I can do!

Jay, you DID make me smile!!! :oD Thank you SOOOO much! In case the rest of you don't know what we're talking about, look at this. LOVE IT!!!

Hi, Lysa! I am NOT the person you want to be when you grow up, I promise! LOL! But I'm glad you'll accept my challenge! Please come back and tell us about it if you can.

Good morning WVG! I actually think that dog is smiling in that picture! What a Ham!

Good Morning, Danny! I do love that picture! :o)

Sarah, thanks so much for the reminder and the challenge.

The picture made me smile.

Sarah.....

I am sure with a tenderhearted life like you have you make LOTS of people smile every day!!

I am sure your husband smiles regularly.....

A good woman is a treasure to have found!!

=-)

MAR

2007

Hi, Penny! Take me up on it! :o)

Hi, Alexander! My husband DOES smile regularly, he's goofy and always makes the girls and me laugh. A good husband is a treasure as well!

Sarah, I knew when I found you on AR I was going to keep liking you for a long time. This was a great story! I have always been into doing random acts of kindness. I remember being a teen and doing them with my sister. I do them with my kids now. It brings so much more into my life than it costs.

Hi, Maggie! And I'm SOOOOO glad you found me! I'd have been lost without you! (Really, I mean it!)

I already guessed you were a Random Act of Kindness type of person, but I'm glad to hear it anyway. It's a fun way to pass the time, isn't it? :o)

MAR

2007

Sarah

Didn't it feel great?

keep playing it forward --I have actually done this in a grocery store a frw years ago so i am do again.

I will take your challenge!!!!! Mater of fact I will take your challenge to my office meeting tomorrow and spread the challenge! I will let you know the outcome. When I saw this Bowl of Love and Smiles ... I thought of you!!!! Yes You did make me smile tonight...... I am new to this, but I love it already!!!! Here in New Orleans we need all the kindness and smiles we can get! Thank you to everyone that has lent a hand!

MAR

2007

Aziz - It did feel great! :o) Glad to hear you're doing this again.

Dana - That is FABULOUS!!!! How did it go???

Count me in, Sarah! I will do it when Casey is around, as we have not done anything for a couple of months. Usually it involves donatiing clothes and his old toys to Goodwill, or taking something to his class to share with everyone (cookies, stickers...).

Thank You Sarah!

You definitely brought a Smile to the end of my Long Week!

And I think you Definitely have to post that pic in the Great Shots blog.

Best,

Sean

APR

2007

I accept....I'll be back tomorrow to let you know how it goes!

Have a great week!

APR

2007

This is a great challenge! There is nothing better than an expected act of kindess!!

APR

2007

Sarah, Thanks for the challenge, I always try to make people smile on a daily basis!! A good habit to have... Keep smiling :)

Good Day!! have a cup of java and a smile on me :)

AUG

2007

Sarah, that's such a wonderful story. I'm glad you shared this post again. I had not seen this one. I'm going to have to think of some ways to not be sooooo mean :)

Sarah, Broker Bryant took this post to heart and made me split a gut laughing today.

I think maybe YOU need a smile today, so I'm sending you Bryant's funny.

Oooh! Great challenge Sarah! Now I have to go find someone to be nice too. Hmmmm...

Sarah, my partner and I made a young couple smile on Wednesday. We did a staging consultation for them and when they went to pay, we told them it was free of charge. They couldn't believe it and the smiles on their faces were priceless. Great post. Betty

AUG

2007

Michelle - Did you??

Sean - If it were my own pic, I would! It's clipart.

Heather - Darn, you didn't come back! (And I lost this comment thread myself, so I can't blame you, can I?)

Ginger - It works both ways, you'll feel as good or better than the one you help!

Duayne - I have not seen you around the Rain lately, are you still here?

Angie - And I'm glad you read it! Thank you!

Sue - Thank you for sending me to BB. I hadn't been spending my usual time here and I missed that! Forwarded it to a friend, too! :o)

Irene - Pick someone totally unsuspecting. Makes it much better.

Betty - That's the way! Gotta love that!

Sarah - I love this kind of stuff. I try to do random acts of kindness with my kids all the time. It is hard to raise grateful kids in today's virtual, prepackaged, fast food society.

I'll accept your mission.

Sarah~ we need more people like you in this crazy world! I am big in customer service, I would rather go to a store that offers truly honest workers with a real happy to see you smile on their face then to store that may be cheaper but their costumer service is like a sour tart. I to will accept your challenge, every morning I listen to Joel Osteen, he is a young preacher that is more of a motivational speaker, he gives great advice on how to live positive and not to let those negative people get you down.

I wish all the best to you and everyone on AR truly, This is such a great site and FREE at that, and I talked to AR corporate last-night and they are simply wonderful to.

Good luck, and best wishes~

(I hope your post stayes up on stage it forword, I have wrote posts on here and told it was off topic, this is a post everyone in every group should read)

I think this is THE BEST challenge going! I'm more than happy to participate! It is for selfish reasons, though...when we make others smile, we make OURSELVES feel good.......what better way to be selfish??? :)

Julia

Sarah -

You make me smile everyday!

Great idea, great post

Maureen - Woo-hoo!!! Rising to the challenge!! :oD Come back and tell me what you did, OK?

Brian - Whoops, I put this in Stage it Forward?! What the heck is wrong with me? Well, I'll leave it to the moderators, I'm never upset to be deleted, not my call. (This shouldn't be there, though!) I am kind of thankful to AR corporate myself right now. And yes, I think being nice to each other matters much more than most people realize. People matter most in the world, above everything else. The rest of it is all just extras.

Julia - Aah, I can tell you've done this before and discovered the secret!! It's why you can't help doing it again!

Mike - Every day? Really? You must have missed my ticked off days. ;o)

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