Living It Up With Downs! 

I turned my head to cancel the noise from the crowed room to my left, just so I could process what “Jim” just said. He then repeated it from somewhere in his heart, only this time louder and with full eye contact: Your book changed my life! Strained creases in his forehead formed as a small nervous smile crossed his lips. “Man Martin, I wasn’t sure I was going to be able to  get that out when I first seen you walk in here today, but I had to try.” Pools of tears welled up  in his eyes. Jim did not know I admired his regal mannerisms and professional demeaner for  years. So, for him to approach me all these years later at a family funeral on my wife’s side was  to say the least, humbling. (Never let your self-worth be tied to your net worth) I reached to  gently grab Jim’s left bicep and gave it a squeeze as I put my other hand on my heart. “What  part of the book Jim?” With his hands resting on the sides of his belt line and his legs spread out  a bit more than 10 seconds ago he pushed back the sides of his dress jacket and continued. “It  was the part where you said Mario taught you how to smile 3 seconds before he meets  people.” Jim continued “As you know, I own a Marketing firm but barely knew my employees.  We are now, like extended family and I give Mario and you the credit.” Looking down now full time he continued. “I read your first book over 12 years ago, over a rainy weekend. Monday  morning, I exited the elevators, and walked through the double doors into the office and made  my routine walk I dreaded for the previous ten years right up the middle isle of close to 65  occupied desks. Just about everyone’s heads turned almost too slow to notice. But I noticed, and they knew they were caught. See, I hadn’t smiled much before that day in the mornings, let  alone all day. So, when I decided to try and smile that morning, I never expected the look I got  from them. It went further from just the look in no time short. In the immediate weeks that  followed I started seeing and hearing laughter, light teasing, a joking shove here, a pat on the  back there. We are now having summer Company Picnics, Christmas parties, and birthday  celebrations. It’s still hard for me to believe a smile is responsible for all those changes. Start  sharing the love and insights you have within you and smile as the world loves you back!