OK, so how do we do it?

It doesn’t need to be with a complete stranger, but having novelty interactions each day could help to keep things interesting and fresh, and boost your confidence. Tell the person serving coffee to have a nice day. Say hello to the postman. Ask someone in the gym for advice on using a new machine. Compliment someone’s outfit. If you are out and about in your community there are usually lots of opportunities to speak to people, so get creative.

And what benefits could we see from putting ourselves out there?

Besides just enjoying the interesting conversations that could come from speaking to someone new each day, studies have found talking to strangers can improve our mood. In fact, one study of 60,000 people discovered that small interactions such as greetings and saying thank you influenced the wellbeing of participants, so it doesn’t need to be deep discussions. If the simple act of saying hello could improve your day, why not?

Are there any common pitfalls of your One Good Thing? How can we avoid them?

I think many people assume talking to strangers will leave us with a negative outcome if we can’t predict how they will react, or if they will become overfamiliar, and studies support this. Instead of worrying about rejection or what could come from saying hello to someone, try to switch your thinking and ask yourself; “How can I improve this person’s day?” It could help to focus on the impact you might have on them, rather than the impact they could have on you.

Also, don’t be discouraged by one negative interaction. Not everyone will be receptive to chatting or even returning a smile, but that’s OK. Don’t let one perceived rejection ruin your day or stop you from interacting with others. Many people will be glad to chat!

One Good Thing: challenge yourself to speak to a new person every day