Why You Should Smell Your Coffee

The Power of a Smile

Today I was getting off of the bus to head to my last class of the day and I saw a girl sitting on the side of road looking as if she would rather be anywhere but there. Its a bit cold out today and I myself have been struggling with finding motivation. So in an act of solidarity with this girl I gave her a big smile as I walked by and to my surprise she smiled back! After that, the girl didn't look so miserable and I was slightly more motivated to carry on with my day.

This thirty second interaction with a complete stranger reminded me of the importance of appreciating the little things in life. I often feel that as a college student it is very easy to get caught up with the big picture. "Where am I going to be in five years? Heck, where am I going to be in one year? Okay, I have a paper due at midnight, if I skip my next class....", the big picture thoughts go on and on. It is very difficult but ultra important to take time to appreciate the steps along the way.

Why Is This Important In Leadership?

In leadership, focusing on the big picture of a project can be a little unhealthy. Don't get me wrong, you should always have an end goal in mind, but it is EXTREMELY important to focus on the small steps that will get you there. Take the time out to appreciate the little things that your students do. This will make a HUGE difference in the motivation of your students and will help prevent feeling like you aren't making any progress towards your end goal. When I was the Vice President of the Student Government Association at my first University, I would have my officers send me a short report every week detailing what they had done the previous week. This was so that I could track what they were doing to get closer to achieving the end goal that we set together at the beginning of the semester. At the weekly meetings, I would try to highlight some of the small achievements that the officers had done. This would make the officers feel good about the work that they were doing. Everyone likes to be acknowledged for their work. Acknowledgement motivates people to continue on a path of excellence.

The Psychology Behind It

This recognition of my officers was a form of Positive Reinforcement. Positive Reinforcement is exactly what it sounds like: Reinforcing a desired behavior through a reward. When discussing Reinforcement it is important to think about the words "positive" and "negative" as "addition" and "subtraction". With Positive Reinforcement, you are adding a reward like candy or public praise. With Negative Reinforcement you are taking away something that is undesired as an award. An example of this would be telling one of my officers that they don't have to send me a report because the dean of their college gave them a compliment. Positive and Negative Reinforcement are little things that can make a huge impact.

The Challenge

This week, I challenge all of you to take time out to appreciate the little things in your personal life and in your leadership life. Below is a list of the ways that I will be appreciating the little things in the upcoming week.

1. Stop and smell the coffee

I am by no means a morning person. Unfortunately, my coffee consumption often suffers because of this. Almost every morning I find myself drinking my coffee on the go. This week I am going to take time out to drink my coffee in my favorite mug before embarking on my daily scholarly adventure.

2. A smile a day keeps the negativity away

I absolutely LOVE when a stranger smiles at more or strikes up a conversation. It makes me feel all warm and happy inside. This week, I am going to make an effort to smile at strangers. Although some may think I'm crazy, I hope that I can I make a few people happy and maybe even get a few smiles in return.

3. Take a walk on the relaxing side

Taking a walk once a day is such a great way to clear your mind and destress. Take a few minutes to appreciate the beauty around you and I promise that you will be a little happier than you were before. This week, I am going to walk to the bus stop in the morning instead of driving.

4. Sharing is caring

Sharing a positive thought with someone can make a HUGE difference in their day. This week I will take a few moments to tell people why I appreciate them. 

P.S. Check our Drew Dudley's TedTalk, "Leading with Lollypops". It is a great was to show people the importance of the little things that they do. Watch the video below! (You know you want to.)

5. Meditate

Meditating is a great way to clear your brain from all of the overwhelming information that comes with life. I personally prefer to do 20 minutes of yoga, reading a chapter out of my bible, and journaling. This week, find a form of meditation that works for you!

How do you take time out to appreciate the little things? How do you motivate those you are leading? How did my challenge affect your week? I want to know!!! Comment below!! :) Hey! That rhythms! All the more reason why you should comment :)