This post was inspired by lunch.

As a consumer, I am inundated with requests to complete surveys rating my shopping or dining experience. These requests are usually found at the bottom of the sales receipt or dinner check, usually highlighted in bright yellow or aggressively circled a dozen times as to be sure I knew exactly what I needed to do. With my marketing background I can greatly appreciate a company’s interest in real-world feedback from their lifeblood — the customer. But even with the opportunity to win $5,000 or some other great prize designed to motivate me to rush home and complete the survey on-line, I usually never do.

Almost never.

Even with the bright yellow highlighting.

YOU JUST DON’T KNOW As I’ve grown spiritually and emotionally, I’m now much better at giving people a chance. I’m more patient, more understanding. (I’m not always, but I’m heading in that direction). As an experienced diner, I know what great service is and I know what terrible service is. Poor service used to be my justification trash my server. Not to his face, of course. Just under my breath. But I was justified. After all, I was the victim of his ineptitude!

The new-and-improved me now tries to understand why the server is not living up to my expectations. Is he inept, aloof…or could he simply just be having a bad day? Perhaps problems at home? Relationship issues? A medical concern? You don’t know. And that’s just it. You don’t know.

Living Half Full is all about trying to make things better. Not just for yourself, but for ALL of us. About lifting up and inspiring. About seeing the greatness within another person, even if that person doesn’t see it within themselves.

BUILDING BETTER PEOPLE Back to lunch. Let’s just say the service wasn’t that good. I have a customer survey on the bottom of my check. Here’s my chance for revenge! Or, as someone who tries to lift and inspire, I can use this survey to do just that.

I don’t reward mediocre service, but I will give someone a chance. Usually I’ll go out of my way with generosity when completing surveys after receiving less-than-stellar service from people I know can perform better than they did today at lunch. My hope is that when the server reports for his shift tomorrow, his boss will call him aside and congratulate him on such good feedback.  

What impact will that positive feedback have on that server tomorrow?

We’ve all been blessed with people in our own lives that believed in us even when we didn’t believe in ourselves. I know I have. And many times it was that faith and encouragement that allowed us to get to the next level. Living Half Full is believing in the innate greatness of all, and finding ways to cultivate that greatness.

Better people will build a better world.

Let’s build better people.

It’s a great day to be you!