Would you believe you can turn a workplace or even a workout place into a modern day "Cheer's bar" just by saying hi?
I friend of my works out at the same gym several times a week.
After a couple years, he recognized the regulars but didn't know anyone.
I encouraged him to try a kindness experiment and try to say hello to five people every day, including at the gym. He did. At first, he just said hello with little response from the people he greeted.
Then, they began to say hello back. He introduced himself and they would talk briefly about their workouts. That was about a year ago. Today, he greets between fifty and sixty people by name when he sees them and they greet him back.
What's more, they have begun greeting each other as well! His gym seems less like an impersonal gym and more like the Cheers bar where everybody knows your name. After awhile, wasn't just saying Hi to strangers, he had begun to affirm people he knew. By just being intentional about greeting and affirming five people a day, my friend not only increased his connections and begin to develop new relationships, he helped change the culture of the entire gym.
What culture might you impact just by saying hello?