How to Say Hi

Say you come across someone raising money outside the grocery store. Or you’re minding your own business at home and a canvasser or home security salesman interrupts your afternoon. You’ve got a choice here: 

1. duck your head and hide, or
2. create a positive moment – without wasting anyone’s time. 

We vote for the latter.

To help us understand what that looks like, we have our very first How to Say Hi guest, Katie Hancock! Katie has first-hand experience with knocking on doors, and some stories we can all learn from. 

This week’s challenge is all about kindly but firmly saying “no, thank you” when a solicitor crosses your path. Remember, they’re people, too. People who are doing their job or taking an active role in something they truly care about. 

Thank you to our special guest Katie, who is also a podcaster covering everything horror. Find Necropolis here or wherever you listen to podcasts and tiptoe over to her Instagram, it’s very entertaining! 

Say hi!
Subscribe wherever you find podcasts. Leave us a review on Apple Podcast or rate us on Spotify. Together, we can help create a more feel-good kinda world. 

Drop us a hello on Instagram and Facebook at @HowtoSayHiPod.
And, send us your stories! Our email is [email protected].

Cover art and graphics are by the kind and talented Brent McCormick.
Thanks to The Wimps for the theme song and other music you hear on this podcast. The Wimps released a new album this month! Listen to Pillow and Blankey.

COVID-19 moved a lot of work and play online. It didn’t take long before Zoom-fatigue became a thing. 

In this episode, we are discussing your internet connections; not the dial-up speed, but the connections we’ve had to maintain virtually over the past year. 

Do they feel slow and choppy? Or, has this new norm been seamlessly wired into our dailies and heightened our interactions with others? 

Either way we slice it, those awkward pauses and forced introductions still exist, and we are here to help.

Maggie and Katelyn share good and bad virtual hangout experiences, from meetings and workshops to birthday parties and happy hours.

Key takeaways:

• Keep the chit-chat positive.
• Use your observational skills to ask fun questions or move the meeting along.
• Focus on other people, rather than your reflection, to make some meaningful connections. 

Tune in for more ideas!

Curious about the sangria drag show Maggie attended? It was put on by Drag Taste. Follow them here.

Say hi!
Subscribe, rate and review us wherever you listen to podcasts. Together, we can help create a more feel-good kinda world. 

Drop us a hello on Instagram and Facebook at @HowtoSayHiPod
And, send us your stories! Our email is [email protected].

Cover art and graphics are by the kind and talented Brent McCormick.
Thanks to The Wimps for the theme song and other music you hear on this podcast.

One in four people feels they have a sense of community in their neighborhood. Where do you fall in? Do you feel excitement when the lady in the brown house pulls in at the same time? Or do you suddenly have to check your Instagram until she passes? 

In this episode, we share our history of funny neighborhood interactions, the unspoken rules of connecting across the property lines, and some ideas for getting to know your neighbors. 

Whether you live in the middle of nowhere or in a giant apartment building, remember, you don’t have to make a new best friend. But a happy wave and casual hello just might help create a more comfortable and joyful community...and potentially more puppy playdates and packages saved from unexpected rainstorms.  

In this episode, Maggie claims that knowing your neighbors helps with safety and security. It’s real! This article on PsychologyToday cites some research on it and AAG lists it as a top reason to get to know your neighbors.

Say hi!
Subscribe, rate and review us wherever you listen to podcasts. Together, we can help create a more feel-good kinda world.
 
Drop us a hello on Instagram and Facebook at @HowtoSayHiPod
And, send us your stories! Our email is  [email protected].

Cover art and graphics are by the kind and talented Brent McCormick.
Thanks to The Wimps for the theme song and other music you hear on this podcast.

We asked and you answered...holiday get-togethers can be a little tense. This episode is all about how to say hi to the loved ones you only see a couple of times a year. While this means different things to everyone, most of us have experienced the pressure of chatting with extended family, who can sometimes feel like strangers. 

Listen for ideas on how to slow down and create more meaningful moments during family gatherings -- all the while dodging the loop of “how have you been” questions.  

Say hi!
Subscribe, rate, and review us on Apple Podcast or other podcast platforms. Together, we can help create a more feel-good kinda world.

Drop us a hello on Instagram and Facebook at @HowtoSayHiPod.
And, send us your stories! Our email is  [email protected].

Cover art and graphics are by the kind and talented Brent McCormick.
Thanks to The Wimps for the theme song and all the music you hear on this podcast.

We spend a lot of time at work, but that doesn’t mean we all embrace the opportunity to connect with those we work with. Some people adopt a different persona entirely or simply leave parts of your personality, social life and interests at home. Maybe you don’t even interact with people you’re not required to and simply clock out and head home as soon as you can. 

But work isn’t going away, so why not try to enjoy it? This episode discusses the power of making small connections in the workplace. You’ll be surprised how it can liven things up and transform a daily task into something that feels good.

Articles and such relevant to this episode:

• The Awkward But Essential Art of Making Small Talk by Lindsay Mannering, The New York Times
• How to Make Small Talk at Work by Leslie Moser, The Muse
• The Importance of Small Talk at Work by Barbara Bissonnette, ForwardMotion
• Nerdcropolis, a podcast by our fab friend, Katie Hancock
• Meet Star Trek’s 7 of 9 [gif]

Like the show?
Subscribe, rate, and review us on Apple Podcast or other podcast platforms. Together, we can help create a more feel-good kinda world.

Drop us a hello on Instagram and Facebook at @HowtoSayHiPod
And, send us your stories! Our email is  [email protected].

Cover art and graphics are by the kind and talented Brent McCormick.
Thanks to The Wimps for the theme song and all the music you hear on this podcast.

Bonus Episode!
Hi! It’s election season, well for those of you in the USA. We’re bringing you some tips on how to elevate your voting experience - in the social sense that is. Because beyond doing your civil duty, this is one of those notable moments when your whole community gathers. 

Listen to cover Katelyn’s secret to dowsing pre-vote nerves. Plus, get behind-the-scenes knowledge from Maggie who has served for 4 years as an actual Election Officer! Don’t worry. This episode will steer clear of politics and focus on encouraging you to enjoy the event and open up a bit while you’re there.

In case you need to check what’s on the ballot or where to vote: ballotpedia.org or vote.org. You can also visit your state’s election website for important registration dates and ID requirements.

Like the show?
Subscribe, rate, and review us on Apple Podcast or other podcast platforms. Together, we can help create a more feel-good kinda world.

Drop us a hello on Instagram and Facebook at @HowtoSayHiPod
And, send us your stories! Our email is  [email protected].

Cover art and graphics are by the kind and talented Brent McCormick.
Thanks to The Wimps for the theme song and all the music you hear on this podcast.

Errands are not the most fun part of adulting. But, rather than rushing through them, why not try to make it a special part of your day...or someone else’s! We share some awkward and silly examples of how getting groceries, running to the Post Office, or filling up at the gas station can bring a little joy to those often-dreaded errands. 

In this episode, we chat about some simple ways to liven up your to-do list while connecting with people along the way. 

Laughing is good for you! The researchers at Mayo Clinic say so here.

Like the show?
Subscribe, rate, and review us wherever you listen to podcasts. Together, we can help create a more feel-good kinda world. 

Drop us a hello on Instagram and Facebook at @HowtoSayHiPod
And, send us your stories! Our email is  [email protected].

Cover art and graphics are by the kind and talented Brent McCormick.
Thanks to The Wimps for the theme song and other music you hear on this podcast.

Whether you naturally befriend everyone you meet or the thought of small talk gives you hives, we are here to celebrate the power of friendly hellos and candid interactions. Here is, How to Say Hi!

Tune in every other Wednesday for curious stories, science-backed research, and challenges aimed to help you recognize the opportunities for happy connections with the people around you. 

The article mentioned in today’s episode is How Casual Daily Interactions Protect Your Health by Jennifer Breheny Wallace, The Washington Post.

Drop us a hello on Instagram and Facebook at @HowtoSayHiPod.
And, send us your stories! Our email is  [email protected].

Subscribe, rate and review us wherever you listen to podcasts. Together, we can help create a more feel-good kinda world.

Cover art and graphics are by the kind and talented Brent McCormick.
Thanks to The Wimps for the theme song and other music you hear on this podcast.