Smile and Move

The Kim Foundation’s parent company, C&A Industries, takes pride in all who work there by offering courses for career and personal growth. I had the opportunity earlier this year to complete Professional Development where I learned a great lesson; one that seems obvious, but so important to remember when stress starts to take over.

Sometimes life can be not as pretty as we want it to be. Someone else gets a promotion you thought you were deserving of. Drivers on the interstate are chugging at a pace you cannot handle when your coffee tank is low. Unexpected expenses force your savings in the red. Life can throw some unpredictable and scary situations at you. Although you cannot control some or most happenings, what you can do is smile and move.

We smile…By being awake, thankful, approachable, complaining less, and smiling, really!

Being Awake: When we are at a certain event, meeting, or just talking with a friend, it is important to stay attentive and engaged. Listening to someone is just going halfway. Watching as you are listening is the other 50% and improves your attention on the topic. Research shows that people who have high quality connections enjoy mental and physical health benefits including lowered stress!

Being Thankful: This can be hard to do when you are in despair or fatigued. If we see others in a rough patch, we tend to remind ourselves how lucky we are and become thankful in someone else’s time of need. Then a little time goes by, a few things in our lives get complicated, and we find ourselves back to less than thankful, again. After step one (wake up), be thankful for the day. Remind yourself every morning that you have something to be thankful about. “We need to more consistently approach our days and our work with gratitude and remember that we’re not entitled to either…they’re gifts.”

Being Approachable: We cannot expect to succeed on any significant level without connecting with people.  By being receptive to others and their ideas, we allow for collaboration and opportunity. When someone has to walk on eggshells around you, eventually they will find someone else to go to.

Complaining Less: Everyone has their own personal challenges to face. Keeping our own obstacles personal (or in your circle of family and closest friends) allows for a complain-free environment and provides time to serve others who need help. When someone starts complaining about their own situation, we can have a tendency to join in (or even “one-up”). This is counterproductive to the “Smile and Move” way of life. Once you hear of a complaint, show that you care with a smile and, if applicable, help out with the situation (move).

Smile, Really!: Smiling is the business of pleasant people. Pleasant people are more enjoyable to work with, buy from, sell to, and talk with. Post pictures in your office of things that make you smile. Before talking with someone, imagine that you are seeing an old-time friend and remember how lucky you are to speak with them. This facial cue also helps to be more approachable (see Being Approachable above). Whatever you do, just smile! It can help your mood and enhance the day of others just to see those pearly whites.

We move…By starting early and going long, going beyond expectations, having a sense of urgency, being resourceful, and resilient (with no excuses).

Starting Early & Going Long: Set aside time to get there (wherever there is) early and make the effort to stay for as long as it takes. This can be applied to your job, a meeting, or even talking with a friend. Putting in the extra energy shows people that you are invested and that you genuinely care about the situation or topic at hand.

Going Beyond Expectations:  Meeting expectations is merely fulfilling an obligation for another. While this is a good first step, going beyond what is expected is where wonderful things start to happen. “On the value of small things and extra effort…At 211 degrees, water is hot. At 212 degrees, it boils. And with the boiling water, comes steam. And with the steam, you can power a train. Just one extra degree makes all the difference. Be two-twelve.”

Having a Sense of Urgency: This world is a busy place. We all have places to go, people to meet, and money to be made. Take care of someone else’s time. This shows them that you care and respect their time.

Being Resourceful and Resilient: Everyone has wants. When you walk into a store or when you have your lawn worked on, you want results. These are very simple examples, but when we are in search of something we want, we need to be resourceful in how we acquire our result. Whatever needs to be done to attain the end goal, we will make it happen. When something does not go as planned or we fail, resiliency is needed to get back up and start the process over. To move forward, you need to focus on results, make lessons of failures, continue on smarter, and encourage yourself.

While some of these guidelines can seem apparent, they can help improve your mental well-being, decrease anxiety, and enhance your outlook on dim situations. Keep these commandments handy by going to https://www.inspireyourpeople.com/smile-and-move/ and ordering yourself a cool product that will remind you every day…to Smile and Move!

Smile & Move: A Reminder to Happily Serve By Sam Parker

Janae Shillito, Project Coordinator, The Kim Foundation

Janae Shillito is the newest edition to The Kim Foundation and serves as Project Coordinator. She holds two science degrees with her alma maters including the University of Nebraska at Omaha and the University of Nebraska Medical Center. Janae’s love of volunteering and helping those without a voice created a strong desire to become a part of the non-profit world. She enjoys instructing kickboxing classes, reading a good book, and being outside with her husband, Cory, and Rottweiler, Hank.