Saying Something Nice
My younger brother and I are very competitive. He is only a couple of years younger than me so I guess the competition is normal. For reasons I sometimes cannot understand, he at times tries to surpass me in small things around the house. My reaction to his antics are usually negative, but for once I decided to try something new. I saw the simple but powerful opportunity to, “Say something nice to someone,” and I knew it was worth a try. If he devoted his time to doing something better than me, I would compliment him on his success. So when he broke my record for the most soccer juggles in a questionable manner, I congratulated him instead of arguing. I said, “Wow, Lucas! Nice job. First try is even more impressive!” He was a bit flustered at first, but said thanks after a pause. There were no arguments for the rest of the day, and, even better, I got that feeling of satisfaction after making someone else feel good!