The 3 Second Un-Stresser

By Christine Harvey

Dale Carnegie, author of the legendary ‘Win Friends and Influence People,’ talks about the POWER YOU’LL RECEIVE by GIVING a genuine compliment.

I remember well a meeting I attended in London long ago. It was an association of businesswomen, and the guest speaker Barbara, had a suggestion for ridding ourselves of stress. “Anytime you feel like you need a mental boost,” she said, “Glance up and give the person nearest you a quick compliment. If no one is near you, then call someone and give them a compliment.” She went on to challenge us to try it, promising that our own stress would immediately lift in the process.

‘Too good to be true,’ was my initial inner response! How could a simple compliment do such wonders? She went on to let us practice it. And she emphasized that we can even do this with strangers – we need not have to know the person. So as the practice session ensued, we complimented the stranger next to us for her jewelry or her friendly mannerism, or for just being there. Because I worked in a male world, I exercised my opportunity with my male colleagues that week by complimenting their ties, or for the excellent job they did on their reports. Barbara was right, the simple act of giving a compliment changed the dynamics of the inner mindset to be MUCH more positive. No shrink, no medication, rather the inner resource to make an instantaneous difference.

I’ve always had the mindset that life is short and so when ever I pick up a tip for making life better – ESPECIALLY AN EASY TIP, I incorporate it in my life. I began to practice this wherever I could, keeping in mind the principle that a compliment must be genuine, from Dale Carnegie.

One evening I was in Melbourne Australia , delivering a speech at the launch of my book, ‘In Pursuit of Profit.’ I always look out into the faces of the audience when I give speeches and try to connect as I speak. After my speech, a woman came up to me to say how much she enjoyed it. “Oh,” I said. “I noticed your great interest – and by the way, you look so good in that red jacket!” And that was the end of it.

At least until eight or nine months later. I was back in Melbourne again, walking down the street, when I suddenly had a tap on the shoulder. “Aren’t you Christine Harvey?” the person asked. “You probably don’t remember, but I was in your audience some months ago and you complimented me on my red jacket. What you didn’t know at that time was that I was going through a very depressed period of my life. BUT every morning after that when I woke up and I went to my closet, I saw that red jacket and said, ”Christine Harvey said I look good in this red jacket, and it pulled me through the day.” Even now when I tell the story, it sends vibrations down my backbone. The second it took me to give a sincere compliment, and the impact it had a person’s life, and through her, the lives of others.

Do you want to make a 3 second difference in you life today? Do you want to get that vibration level up, and attract positive prosperity to your life? Then use this 3 SECOND FOCUS TIP™ as often as you can today. Give a sincere compliment to you colleague, your spouse, you business partner, your child, your parent, a stranger, the dog – THE POINT IS THAT THERE WILL BE AN INNER SHIFT IN YOU when you get your thoughts off yourself and onto another being. By doing this, you are setting yourself up for prosperity conscientiousness. Prosperity beyond your fondest dreams. Start this instant.