You may be thinking, “Well, yeah. Everyone is important.” That is a pretty generic thing to say. But what does it have to do with being happy? And why do you care if “Everyone is important”? The short answer is that if you truly see everyone as being important, you will tend to treat them with more respect. You won’t take for granted the people you encounter in life. You will understand that each of them are important in their own way.
Check out this lesson taught to Mark, a new college student…
“What is the first name of the person who cleans the school?“
During Mark’s first month of college, the professor gave his students a pop quiz. He was a conscientious student and had breezed through the questions, until he read the last one: “What is the first name of the woman who cleans the school?” Surely this was some kind of joke. He had seen the cleaning woman several times. She was tall, dark-haired and in her 50s, but how would he know her name? He handed in his paper, leaving the last question blank.
Just before class ended, one student asked if the last question would count toward the quiz grade. “Absolutely,” said the professor. “In your careers, you will meet many people. All are significant. They each deserve your attention and care, even if all you do is smile and say ‘hello’”. Mark never forgot that lesson. He also learned her name was Dorothy.
So what!!!
When we view each person as important, we will treat them with a greater deal of respect, not looking down on them or up to them for any specific reason. We will learn to appreciate the role each person plays in society and in our lives. And when you show everyone respect, they will respect you. You can’t help but have a happier life. One full of respect and gratitude for each person and what they contribute to this world.
The Takeaway
Happiness stems from appreciation. When you can appreciate, with great gratitude, the things and people around you, you unlock the mystery of happiness. You learn to value people for who they are and be thankful for what they do. No matter how impressive or unimpressive their role is. Everyone plays an important part in life. We’re all contributing to society and should be respected for our contribution.
When you respect everyone as important, and show them that respect with a smile or an “hello” they will respect you. They will appreciate you acknowledging them and show you a mutual respect the next time they see you. Do this for everyone you see and you will quickly become a person who is highly respected. And when we feel respected, our sense of self-worth goes up. And when our sense of self-worth goes up, we tend to be happier.
So invest in everyone you see and view them as important. Acknowledge them, respect them, and appreciate their contributions. This small investment in people pays dividends back to your soul.