Don’t show up empty handed

When I walk in the front door, my dog greets me by wagging his tail, making noises that I can only describe as “extremely excited noises,” and bringing me one of his toys as a present. I am not sure why he brings me a toy, but it makes me smile. It’s almost as if he is saying, “I’ve missed you dear friend, welcome home! Here’s a present.” Growing up, my neighbor’s cat would do something similar and would hunt rabbits, birds, and rodents, leaving them on their front porch as a gift to his owners.

When you greet others, what sort of gift(s) are you offering? I am not talking about going all Forrest Gump and always having to show up with a box of chocolates, but rather the things that one cannot buy. When you greet others, are you offering a positive attitude, a word of encouragement, or a smile? Do others feel appreciated by your greeting?

My dog is very consistent. He greets me the same way every single time. What’s funny to watch however, is when he can’t find one of his toys. He will franticly search the room until he can find something, anything, to offer as a gift. In fact, one day he even brought me a single sheet of paper! In these circumstances, he may not be able to bring me what he wants, but he brings me whatever he can because he feels I deserve it.

Coach Nelson serves as a high school football coach who is pursuing his doctorate in Sport and Performance Psychology. He has worked for division 1 athletic departments, professional sport franchises, a Fortune 100 Company and has won numerous awards for his LEADership abilities.

His mission is to positively influence the world through Love, Effort, Attitude and Discipline (#LEAD). To learn more about the LEAD philosophy follow him on Twitter Levi Nelson or reach out via email at rln10@zips.uakron.edu He’d love to learn about or help you in your journey!