Make VA Smile

This is the second post in a series for #NonstopNovember. If you need/want to catch up with the other posts this month, you can click here and it will bring you to those included in the series.
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My friend and I were inspired by Make DC Smile's attempt at bringing happiness and a positive moment to the commuters in the DC/Metro area. We thought to ourselves, "Why not bring that love and positivity to Lynchburg?!?"

So, last Tuesday, we met at 7:30a to greet the 8am commute with encouraging signs.

Here's the thing, people. I am not a morning person. Like, at all. I'm not necessarily a night-owl, either. I just like quiet. It is SO not my thing to be holding a sign on a street corner and genuinely smiling at 7:30 in the morning. But, I pushed myself to do it because I told my friend I would go last week and well.... I had already made the signs.

But, wow. Once people smile, and wave and honk their horns to say, "What up! I like your sign!" it makes it SO worth it. This was a post we had on our Facebook page last week:

Yesterday as I was driving to work, I was deep in thought and up to my eyeballs in stress. I had already spilled my entire coffee all over Panera's floor and was pretty overwhelmed with what needed to be accomplished that day. I drove by 3 ladies standing on the corner of a busy street who were holding signs encouraging motorists. I instantly got choked up and then started smiling. My load seemed a little lighter and my countenance changed. Who goes that far out of their way to encourage people?! I was pretty amazed and uplifted by those women standing outside of Taco Bell. Thank you, you made a difference.

That right there. That is why this weekend, I'm going to paint another sign for a woman who wants to join us next week. Because it uplifts the people that read them as they're still recovering from having to wake up and go to work. Someone may be on their way to a job that they hate. Or maybe they're on their way to the unemployment office. Or maybe they're a boss and have to lay off some employees. But what a difference a small bit of joy can do.

It's also not just about the commuters. Sure, it brightens their day, but it also lifts us up. We're able to enjoy one another, chat, laugh, and have private very public dance parties while we wave at people. What would your day be like if the first thing you did was go out and encourage someone? Believe me when I say it will brighten your own day as well. It may not feel like that when you peel your head off your pillow and splash water on your face.... but it will.

So think about it this way: You don't have to hold a sign on a street corner to encourage people. You can give hugs, hand out cards, send thank you notes, etc. There are SO many ways to encourage people that don't include standing in the cold in the morning. Challenge yourself to go out of your way to bring a smile to other people's faces.

If you would like to keep tabs on what we're doing here in Virginia to make our people smile, please like our Facebook page here :)