Never Be the First to Let Go

4 days ago

2 min read

THE WOMEN’S SOCIAL NOTES

Thursday Edition · The Social Arts Club

The art of a proper greeting

A greeting is one of the most powerful tools we have in our social life. It is free. And when it is done well, it is always felt.

The TSA rule is simple: if you are in doubt about who should greet first, greet. Do not stand there working out the order. Eye contact, one smile, one hello — and sometimes a hug — can change someone’s day.

THE POWER OF A HUG

My own favourite way to greet someone is to hug them. A hug goes beyond physical touch. It reaches something deeper, and it can comfort a person’s soul. A hug is one of the first forms of comfort we receive when we are welcomed into the world.

READ THE ROOM

Being a hugger also means knowing when not to hug.A hug may feel warm and natural to me, but it may feel uncomfortable to someone else. Culture, personality, familiarity, religion, personal boundaries and simply how someone feels that day can all influence how they prefer to be greeted.

Before reaching for an embrace, read the room. Notice the other person’s body language. Are they moving toward you? Offering their hand? Keeping a little distance?

Let your instincts guide you. A gracious greeting is not about greeting everyone the way you like to be greeted. It is about making the person in front of you feel comfortable.

When an embrace is mutually welcomed, never be the first to let go. Let the other person decide when the hug has given them what they needed.

THE ESSENTIALS

There are many ways to greet. However you do it, one thing never changes: stand up.

For anyone — whatever their age, whatever their position, whatever their gender.

Then offer eye contact, a genuine smile and, when appropriate, a handshake that neither crushes nor disappears.

START SMALL

If you are not used to greeting people, start with the strangers who cross your path.

A nod. A wave. Good morning.

And please — never hide from anyone’s eyes.

Be open to giving warmth, but also to receiving it. Sometimes the smallest acknowledgement can change the energy of someone’s entire day.

THIS WEEK

Greet five strangers.

A nod is enough. A smile is enough. A simple good morning is enough.

Then notice:

How many greet you back?

BEFORE YOU GO…

A few questions to reflect on.

1. You arrive at an event and are unsure who should greet first. What should you do?

A. Wait for them to greet you

B. Greet them with a smile and eye contact

C. Avoid eye contact

D. Look at your phone

2. When is a hug appropriate?

A. Always

B. Whenever you prefer to hug

C. When you read the room and the other person appears comfortable with it

D. Only with family

3. True or False:

A gracious greeting is about making the other person feel comfortable, not simply greeting them the way you prefer.

CHECK YOUR ANSWERS

1 — B

2 — C

3 — True

Then finish with:

NEXT THURSDAY

The Art of Being a Perfect Guest

The invitation is only the beginning.

Manners are not about perfection. They are about awareness of others.