UNANTICIPATED PLEASURES ARE THE BEST KIND

The greatest mistake in the treatment of diseases is that there are physicians for the body and physicians for the soul, although the two cannot be separated. 

Plato

Have you ever noticed how easily some people exude charm and confidence? These people are liked by all and seem to have the world be the tail. People enjoy their company immensely; their ability to influence and persuade is considerable. What a wonderful aura to project. What qualities do these people possess that makes people instinctively like them? They might be total strangers but they impress and people’s instinct is to connect, know, mingle and hang out with these folks. It’s that je ne sais quoi  that causes people to see you from across a crowded room and want to be with you. We might have trouble defining these charismatic qualities but we have no problem identifying people we don’t like and don’t wish to be near. We don’t like people who are self-centered and only concerned with their own well being.

Today I had my annual physical exam and walked out of the office with warm feelings and respect for the examining doctor. Doctors are incredibly busy and appointments are absurdly short and yet this physician wasn’t in a frenzied state and projected a compassionate caring attitude.  Usually I handle stress well but dealing with the medical industry is usually bad for my mental health; it’s too frustrating. Why was today such a positive experience and what can be learned from this experience? Here is what I learned and why this individual will be my new primary care physician:

TREAT EVERYONE YOU MEET AS IF HE OR SHE IS THE MOST IMPORTANT PERSON YOU’LL MEET THAT DAY

You want to leave the impression with  people that they are important to you. Some will ask isn’t this manipulative, and won’t it come across as such. No! When you practice this behavior you will begin to genuinely care for people. It might feel awkward at first, but practice makes it easier. Practice with people you meet or encounter on a daily basis – the receptionist where you work or the neighbor you encounter in the hallway of your apartment. You will be amazed at the transformation in the relationship and how that individual responds to being noticed and acknowledged. Although some people are more loving and compassionate than others, I do believe that compassion is a learned skill and with practice we can all improve. The payoff is so wonderful that overcoming any feelings of awkwardness is well worth the effort.

People  make life worth loving. Learn to use things and love people. Be natural and spontaneous. You don’t want to patronize people or hinder them from doing their job effectively. Just being real and acknowledging the other person’s existence in a respectful manner is a great start.

It’s really a win-win  situation – both parties get to feel good. It creates connection which we all crave and real connection is about as good as it gets.