When you are on a walk, do you greet people as you pass by? When you are at the grocery store, do you make eye contact and smile at others? When you are getting out of your car and the people parked next to you are getting in, do you acknowledge their presence? Though these gestures may seem small or insignificant, they aren’t.
When we are seen by others, it is an acknowledgment of us in the larger world. It is recognition that we have been noticed, that we exist in this vast universe. And those acknowledgments aren’t just individual recognitions. They compound, one on top of the previous one. They help us realize that we are valued in the world, we are seen, we matter.
These greetings, recognitions, sightings in the world can be seen as insignificant or innocuous. But they could also lift spirits, brighten days, and build confidence. Try being present in the world. Recognize and acknowledge people in your presence. Share pleasantries with others. You could be making someone’s day!
Remember this works both ways. Who is seeing you? How does it make you feel?