Happy day after yesterday y’all,
You may or may not have noticed that many of the emails or calls with me start out with “Happy <day>” (Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, etc.). Every so often I get the question why are you always so happy? People want to figure out my trick…
This is a trick I learned from my father many years ago, when he was a manager at a lumber yard. As a child, from time to time, I would get to go to work with him. As long as I can remember he answered the phone with “Happy <Day>” He would do this consistently, whether he was busy, having a bad day,or a great day.
It didn’t hit me till probably my junior year in college, my dad is manipulating both of self and others. This “happy <day>” is a “Jedi Mind Trick” that has an impact on recipients and the barer of the tiding.
You’re probably wondering what the mind trick is and how it works. For the recipients, its a disarming phrase. If someone is in a good mood it typically makes them smile. If they are in a bad mood it will help them move towards a neutral to a good mood. It gives the barer, the ability to control someone else’s mood. How, cool is that to be able to change someone’s mood, it’s one of my disarming tactics.
For the barer, it has a couple results as well. One is a fake it till you make it result. Even if you are in a bad mood and say this, the recipients don’t know you’re in a bad mood and often reciprocate the tiding. From my experience, this results in the same effect as above and moves you towards a better mood.
It also gives you control over the situation. Assuming, as Steve Rizzo states, “You create the next moment out of this moment. Didn’t think you were that powerful, did you?” Why not create a positive moment for you and whoever you are communicating with? From my personal perspective I would much rather have more positive moments in my life.
I owe more thanks than I can imagine to my dad for teaching me this powerful trick.
I hope everyone has a happy day after yesterday!
