Sounds kinda strange, but the topic of saying hi to people has been on my mind lately. I think it’s important and can really make a difference. Maybe a small difference, but still an impactful one. This post is a brain dump about why you should say hi to people that you encounter, hope you enjoy!
I’ve been going on lots of hikes lately. Maybe this is just because we’ve all been so out of touch with each other due to Covid, but there’s one thing I’ve really noticed about what happens when I cross paths with people on a trail. A lot of people put their head down or look at me then look away when I pass them. When that happens, it makes me feel like we’re trying to pretend that the other person doesn’t exist. Why on earth do we do that? Maybe it’s embarrassment or shame or antisocial feelings, but not only does it make us and them appear to be closed off, it also just doesn’t feel very human.
I love people and it always grounds me when I think about the fact that every single person is living their own life, has their own struggles, and is following their own storyline. Although I wish I could, I know that I’ll never be able to help every single person in the world and I will never be able to know what everybody’s struggle is, but I do know that a lot of people struggle with feeling lonely and unimportant and invisible. I’ve felt those feelings before, and they hurt a lot. Feeling like you don’t matter can really bring you to a dark place.
While going on these hikes recently, I’ve realized that just simply saying “hi” or “good morning” could hugely impact someone’s day. Especially if that someone struggles with loneliness and has been made to feel invisible by others. I don’t doubt you, reader, and I bet you do say hi to people when they say hi to you, but do you say hi to them first? You can’t assume that the other person is going to greet you, and if you do assume it, and they don’t end up saying anything, that’s a missed opportunity to have potentially helped someone. At least that’s how I see it. Those people who put their head down or look at you and then look away are probably the people who feel more lonely and invisible, and I can almost guarantee they won’t say hi to you unless you say it first.
You might be thinking “Rachel are you telling me that if I say hi to someone, it could actually brighten their day? because I’m pretty sure it wouldn’t make my day any better.” To that I say, yes it may not affect your day very much if you say hi to someone, but try to take yourself out of the equation and just think about the person you’re saying hi to. You have no idea who they are. You have no idea if they cry themselves to sleep because they feel like no one cares about them. You don’t know if they have any friends. You don’t know if their parent or teacher or boss makes them feel small. You just don’t know. What I do know is that you’re not hurting anybody by saying hi and you have the power to potentially make someone who feels small to feel a bit bigger and more significant. It’s a perfect opportunity to make people feel like their existence matters. Why wouldn’t you do it?
Like I said earlier, I know I’ll never be able to help everyone in the world, but there are absolutely actions I can take to help the people I cross paths with. You can too. These actions may feel small to you, but they could be huge to someone else. It feels good to be kind. Next time you go on a walk, on a hike, or are in a grocery store aisle and cross paths with someone, I urge you to be the first person who says hi.
I hope that this has inspired you and has been thought-provoking. If you want to read about more topics like this, check out this page!
