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YOU LOOK AMAZING!

Just three simple words that made her day. Her unsettled expression busted open into a brilliant smile that reached her entire face. She was happy! I don’t know what her day was like before she set foot in the store, and the cashier uttered those three words, but I could guess what it would be like going forward. The power of words amazes me. Said with sincerity, those same words become even more compelling.

OFFICE ENVIRONMENT

I remember when I worked in an office, and how one person could set the tone of the day with the right or wrong words. Words are the nail marks that never leave once hammered into a surface. Humans are often the surface, and depending on how fragile that surface is, it can be devastating to some. Words of encouragement builds confidence, words of belief keep the motivation moving forward, and when you are the bearer of positive and kind words, you get the added boost of your own feel-good moment, especially when you recognize you’ve changed someone’s outlook.

FRIENDSHIPS

I have had the good fortune to strike up a wonderful friendship with a woman in her 80s. She’s incredibly polished in her appearance and when we meet for dinner on occasion, I make it a point to say how beautiful she looks, because she does. I love the confidence she owns; her funny wit keeps me laughing, and we both bring something to the proverbial table each time we meet up at our favorite Mexican restaurant; that just happens to have the best top-shelf margaritas!

I’ve lost my mom to dementia and her husband is in the end stage of dementia. We seem to have an endless supply of words to share with each other. It’s an unlikely friendship some would say, but I’ve learned to embrace all the opportunities and good fortune that cross my path. I don’t want to miss anything in life. I try to see something wonderful in each person I meet, and  work hard to not let the chance to share my thoughts with the person slip away.  It’s a powerful connection to each person I meet.

WORDS

Words…They don’t cost you anything. There are so many to choose from, and everyone has access to them. There are some potent words to choose from, so use them wisely. I encourage you to seek out powerful words that have the potential to change the path of someone’s day. Just three words that were offered as a nice compliment, sent that woman off to have a great day. I saw it as she strode out the door with her head held high, shoulders back, and a little giddy-up in her step. Oh…by-the-way, she was turning 55-years-old in two days. I heard her tell the cashier, who was half her age. Now that is Aging Well!

Jacqui Clark is a Certified Senior Advisor™ (CSA™), consultant with Living Coastal Senior Resources, and co-founder of Aging Well Partners. She is an industry leading living-and-aging well expert, and a respected communications specialist. She’s lived in San Diego for 35 years, much of that in Carlsbad where she and her husband live with their two daughters. Find Jacqui at www.agingwellpartners.com