It’s a simple concept. Friendliness. One would think that it would be easy enough to find. A friend. People who are friendly for no reason, with no agenda. I have found this is not necessarily the case. Is it cultural?
Perhaps. Is it common place? Not in our world as we know it today, if you listened to the news. Not, effortlessly. I have of course met some very friendly people. Kind people. Lovely humans who do lovely things for one another.
Is friendliness a core concept in positive psychology? Should it be? One would think that those who study or practice positive psychology would also be friendly, right?
Humanity
I’ve also met my fair share of wolves in sheep clothing. I’ve met people who, under the pretense of good intentions, have had less than honorable motives. We’ve all been exposed to both the good and bad in this world. Some on purpose. Some by happenstance. Some culturally insensitive. Others culturally hyper sensitive.
The purpose of delving more deeply into the meaning of life is to prepare ourselves and others for the potential of healthier growth patterns. We all wish for the world to be a better place. We all want world peace. Don’t we?
The variations on how friendly we are in the attainment of that global initiative are as vastly different as the number of cultures we live in.
Global Initiatives and Systems
I live in the Northeast part of the United States.
The last time I spent the day in New York City, the people were very warm, friendly, inviting and helpful. They were kind. I hope kindness is trending right now. Though, in rural upstate New York (where I live), people have become less so. . I wonder what the rest of the world is doing?
I know that I want to be really friendly to all people all the time. Some people don’t trust that. Or, they think it’s weird. I’m what I call a grouchy friendly person. I’m really happy, but don’t smile all the time. And yet, if you need help, I’m right there to help you. I hope for the same in return. Post Traumatic Growth makes me this way.
What is your friendliness trend right now?
When we become culturally sensitive, we become globally aware. That in turn, creates the best opportunity for a positive growth mindset. It also teaches us the valuable lesson that we become what we think about.
I for one, work hard daily to focus on the friendly people, the kind people, the thoughtful, nice people in our universe. I don’t give my time to those who don’t follow that philosophy.
My world has become friendlier as a result.
Back to my #DalyKarenNaNoWriMo2017 🙂 Where I’m writing about a friendly person, challenged with learning about herself through others.
Karen
About the Author: Karen Henry [Daly], MA CRM owns Henry Healing as a holistic well-being practitioner and writer. She’s a former university professor and current scholar practicing the infusion of positive, existential and community psychology.