June Has National Say Something Nice Day

There’s an old saying that people may not remember what you do, but they’ll certainly remember how you made them feel, and at no time is that more true than on National Say Something Nice Day, observed on June 1 each year.

This holiday is about lifting your co-workers, family members, acquaintances, even those you don’t particularly like, with genuine kind words — being a “lifter,” and seeing how much healthier and happier you feel in the process. It takes discipline. In some cases, you may feel that negative beliefs you have about certain others are definitely based on truthful reality. The challenge of National Say Something Nice Day is to put those beliefs aside — no matter how warranted you feel they are — and find something you really appreciate in a given person.

It’s not about phony compliments. If you really think, you can find something positive about any of the people you come across. Maybe you like the hairstyle of the annoying person at the store. Maybe you admire the management style of the co-worker that got the promotion you were passed up for. Look for the positive.

1. Acknowledge an accomplishment.
It could be a co-worker’s completion of a big project or presentation. It could be a friend’s finally making their dream of traveling to Europe come true. It could be complimenting the A’s on a student’s report card and ignoring the D. The point is to find something someone has worked hard for, and let them know you appreciate how much work it really did take.

2. Appreciate an aspect of someone’s personality.
This is one of the easier ways to find something nice to say. Everyone has one trait that stands out, something that makes them uniquely them. If a person in your peer group is always ready with a joke, or always serves themselves last, or knows how to defuse a disagreement, simply say that you have been aware and that you like that one thing about them.

3. Thank someone for being there.
People love to hear things like, “I just want to thank you for being a friend. I don’t know what I would do without you in my life.” And we all have people we feel that way about. On National Say Something Nice Day, just make sure to verbalize the feeling to your friend or acquaintance, and watch the smile appear on their face.