THE ART OF CHANGING PEOPLE'S LIVES

The art of small details is a talent that can be trained. The majority of beings that inhabit this planet think that each of us is born predisposed to be a certain way: to be romantic or not, to be affectionate, rude, kind, detail-oriented... My opinion is completely different. Each of these qualities are qualities that we mostly learn and acquire and, of course, train. Today I will talk to you about one of them: the art of changing people’s lives (or being thoughtful).

'Lots of love' card

I have been learning it since I can remember. Making others feel special is something that has always made me happy. Never out of obligation, from a very young age I learned that a small detail can change your day, and that it is very easy to make others happy.

I have been changing these gestures over time and, but now I am at a place when I have been on pause somewhat, due to my temporary disenchantment with this planet. But I think its a good time to stop this and return to one of the things that has always made me most happy.

Pink Tulips

Here are  some keys to being the thoughtful person you would like to have as a friend on a bad day:

• Little Notes. You will only need paper and a pen. Try writing notes at home, to your friends, to family, whomever,... For example, before you leave to visit your parents, or if you were visiting a friend who lives far away, you can leave a note on the refrigerator as a token of gratitude. A simple phrase like, good morning ... can be enough.

• Passive gestures. With these you can  help a roommate on a bad day,  when they are really down, and are hardly able to do anything. For example, leaving brewed coffee in the morning and putting a note: “you have freshly brewed coffee!” Pick up some or make extra food to share and say: “I've done this eating, can I save you a plate?”

• Letters and postcards. My personal brand par excellence. Because of my work, traveling has been a great constant in my life. Being alone with my thoughts, doing things alone, visiting places alone, and, especially, being very (very) far from the people I love has been my daily life since I was 19 years old. This has been key to figuring out how to stay in touch with the people I love, make them feel special and let them know that they are still important to me – without having to be glued to my phone 24/7 –: letters and postcards. A form of meditation and dedication that I love is a process that is made up of 3 phases:  The first is the search or spontaneous encounter of greeting cards. There is always a card that reminds you of someone or is perfect for a special moment, or if you just like it, it is the one. The second is to find a place and a time that gives you peace. No mobile, it's a time to stop and disconnect and concentrate 100% on what you are writing and for whom. The third is to close the envelope, send it and wait. It's the most magical (and impatient) part.

• Organize dinners, lunches or parties. Whether or not dedicated to a person or holiday, the “little excuses” to celebrate and bring together the people you love can be great for a positive mood shift . Themed parties, with special decoration details or even  personalized notes for each guest, are “nonsense” that can actually touch people's hearts.

Some warnings I have to give you (and it's almost more important than everything else):

• Don't do it to win the love of others.

• Don't do it to expect something in return. It's not about a bargaining chip or about you. It is an altruistic gesture for self-love and love for others.

• Don't do it if you see that you don't feel well. If you see that it is not well received or that you do not feel well after doing it, don't do it. Sometimes the time or the person is not right.

As you can see, it takes very little to be able to train this heart part of us and be that person that we all need on a bad day, or even on a good day to cheer us up.

How about you? Do you like to make kind gestures to your loved ones? How do you change the lives of others?