Give A Little Bit



We can be kind to someone by just being in the moment and noticing.

My friend George Khalife sent an update to his LinkedIn network recently.

George mentioned that he was having a “bit of a challenging day” one day.  He was in the washroom when someone he did not know noticed something about George -- maybe something about George’s facial expression or body language? In any case the stranger offered some encouraging words: “Hey man, cheer up!”  

The rest of the exchange was that George asked him how his day was going to which he replied: “It’s the best day of my life.”

It goes to show you that we can choose to be in the moment, maybe notice someone is in a bit of a funk and offer a kind word. In George’s story, the stranger said just 4 WORDS, and I imagine that helped George to feel a little better in that moment.

Yesterday I wasn’t feeling the greatest, but decided to go to work. I have an eye infection (it’s much better today, thank you). I was feeling groggy because I took a Tylenol for cold and sinus the night before. 

My colleague who comes in once a week asked how I was. I said that I was “OK.” She wasn’t entirely convinced and asked if I was sure. I then proceeded to tell her about my eye infection and eye drops to which she described her own experience when she was an ECE teacher. The kids in her charge would get eye infections all the time and pass it along to each other. She knew all about eye infections and eye drops. We had a nice conversation. I felt better just talking about it. 

If my colleague hadn’t noticed my body language (the way I said “OK”) or maybe she noticed something about my eye, I wouldn’t have felt (a little) better in that particular moment.

I attended Day 1 of a Mental Health First Aid Course last week (April 22nd). 

I learned something powerful.

Let’s say you know someone (they are a family member, friend or colleague) and you notice something about them. The way they have been acting lately is really unusual for them. Maybe they have withdrawn or they are staying out at all hours of the night and you don’t know where they are. Maybe it’s something that they are talking about that doesn’t make sense. Maybe there is something about their facial expressions or body language that are unusual. 

We learned that what we can do as a concerned family member, friend or colleague is to take notice and just ASK and LISTEN. Find out what’s going on with that person. Have a conversation. Offer an encouraging word or gentle advice.  Be a supportive family member, friend or colleague.

Rick Davies and Roger Hodgson (Supertramp) wrote “Give A Little Bit.”

These lyrics resonate:
I'll give a little bit
I'll give a little bit of my life for you
So give a little bit
Give a little bit of your time to me
See the man with the lonely eyes
Take his hand, you'll be surprised

Once in awhile we can give a little bit of ourselves and of our time and notice how the people around us are feeling. 

We can offer some kind words (like in George’s example) or you can ask how someone is (like my colleague) or you can ask and listen and offer support (as I learned from my Mental Health First Aid Course).


Each day we can pay it forward and “Give a Little Bit”!




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