Changing The World, One Compliment At A Time

I was on the bus the other day, and saw an act of kindness.

The bus driver stopped gently, opened the doors and walked to an old man in the bus.

He then leaned closed and told the gentleman that it's his stop, and proceeded to help him down the bus, taking his time to guide the shaky old man with a walking stick down the steps and into the bus stop before driving off.

It got me thinking. We all know that positive reinforcement works better than negative right?

So why is it that we so are so slow to praise, quick to condemn and expect change fast? Come to think of it, when it comes to trying to get someone to change for the better, we almost NEVER praise.

So in this, I think I'll try a social experiment. I'll encourage things that I'd like to see more of, rather than condemn things I'd like to see less of.

I'll compliment and give praise to what I think is good, rather than hang, draw and quarter what I think is bad.

Let's see what changes. Thank you, driver of SBS 2674 T, for a timely reminder at 1pm on the 6th of March 2008 at the bus stop outside the church at Queen Street.