The full nudge I wrote out for myself didn’t fit in my title space. It reads: “People you see out on a walk (say ‘Hello! Good morning!’ to everyone you encounter)”

I was rather disappointed when I drew this as the first nudge for this Connections series. I was hoping for something a bit grander, more playful and exciting.

But the more I thought about it, I realized it’s a perfect way to kick things off. The seed for this nudge was planted back when COVID first caught us in its grip and we masked up, gloved up, and rubbed our hands raw with sanitizer to stop the spread. It seemed obvious to me that the virus was spread either by physical touching or through the air, so it struck me as funny when I would greet people when I was out for a walk and they would look away without responding. “It’s not contagious through eye contact!” I wanted to shout.

As time went on, though, their emotional distancing became contagious, and I stopped saying anything and started avoiding eye contact. It was “easier” to keep to myself.

More recently, though, I’ve noticed how much my spirits are lifted when someone—a perfect stranger—greets me with smiling eyes and then takes the exchange to the next level of humanity by asking “How are you?” and—and this is key—waiting for my answer.

I want to be like those people.

So this week, one day while I’m out getting my exercise in the neighborhood, I’m going to greet everyone I pass. There will probably be some people who will pretend to not hear me, but I have a feeling most will respond in kind.

“In kind.” Don’t you love that phrase?

Alternatives: Not heading out for a walk this week? Here are some other ways you might complete this nudge:

• If you’re lucky enough to get to be with coworkers, make a point during the day to greet every one. “Good morning! It’s nice to see you! That color looks amazing on you!”
• If all you’ve got on the schedule is a grocery run, make eye contact with a few fellow shoppers and share a smile (yes, you can do that with your eyes). When you reach the cash register, ask the checker “How are you today?” and listen to their answer.
• Home bound? No problem. Pull about a sheet of paper and colored pens (or your kids’ big box of crayons) and write “I wish you a great day!” (That feels more personal than “Have a great day!”) Decorate it with hearts / butterflies / stars and tape it to a front window for everyone to see.
• Live in a big building? Make that sign and post it next to the mailboxes or the main entrance.

Please note: Different from previous rounds of nudges, I won’t be creating a separate follow-up post for What Happened and The Ah-Hahs. Instead, I hope you’ll share your experiences with everyone in the Comments. xo