If there are any prizes for being the weirdest person because she smiles at strangers I may be the Champion. But I want you to know, it won’t bother me at all if you try your hardest to knock me off the pedestal and take the trophy away from me. Should you succeed in doing so, it will only make the world a better place and I’ll just have to raise my personal bar to try to win 1st Place back again.

I’m often told (by well-meaning people who love me) that I might be making strangers uncomfortable when I give them a big smile. The fact is, I respect everyone’s personal space, but when it comes to smiling at strangers of all ages, and getting rewarded with a smile back? That’s a challenge that I simply cannot resist and an imaginary “don’t do it” rule that I simply cannot accept.  I’ve also been accused of hugging too often. Could this really be wrong? If it is, I’ll have to blame it on my Mother who encouraged kisses and hugs.  Her 6 siblings, our Aunts & Uncles, always called us “The Kissing Griesel’s.”  While the comment could have been passed around as a judgement, I always viewed it as a worthy trait. 

I don’t think there’s enough smiling in the world and for sure hugging has been relegated to being dangerous. That is a travesty against our greater health.   

I’ve worked with biotechnology companies for 27 years. I’ve read everything you can imagine about health and healing — on physical, emotional and spiritual realms.  I know this: Human touch heals. Lack of touch and connection causes pain and illness at the deepest levels imaginable.

I might start a riot here, but I’m saying it anyway. Hug someone today. And if for whatever reason you can’t do that? Make sure you’re spreading the biggest smile you can so it rises from your lips (covered or not) to create big crinkles on the sides of your eyes. We need love and healing more than ever and, if you ask me, I’ll tell you that it all begins with heartfelt smiles and hugs. And FYI…kisses are a great addition to the mix!

Silver Disobedience® philosophy believes all healthy relationships begin with self-awareness. I’m @DianGriesel aka @SilverDisobedience ✨ I am a Perception Analyst and I wrote The Silver Disobedience Playbook. Here, I share my Daily Meditations for other Ageless, Passionate & Curious People.  More info in my bio, my websites and at Wilhelmina New York.