Pretend that every single person you meet has an (invisible) sign around his or her neck that says: "Make me feel important." Not only will you succeed in sales, but you will succeed in life!  Mary Kay Ash (Founder Mary Kay Cosmetics)

Earlier this month someone sent an e-mail to me “out of the blue” with the subject line: In appreciation of you.

She wrote: I think of you so often and came across this video, which you may have already seen, but I am sending it to you today (from my heart to yours) for being such an empowering contributor as I follow my life path and for all the lives you touch through your beautiful book. I appreciate so many things about you, Sharon, including your vibrant, gracious, loving spirit. Please go to: http://www.appreciationmovie.com/                

I’ve noticed recently that employees in stores seem to be more gracious. Perhaps it was partly the holiday season, as well as an awareness that so many layoffs are occurring and  many companies are closing with the economy in El Dumpo. Someone I know received this Rackspace response to an Internet server problem: “If at any point in the future you need anything, please don’t hesitate to ask us anytime for assistance. We’re here to help!” Wouldn’t everyone love to do business with Rackspace? What a great company! A whopping 65% of customers who take their business elsewhere do so because of poor customer service.

I recently became aware of the Simple Truths book, Customer Love, Great Stories About Great Service, which is a superb read for any one in business. They quote the U.S. Office of Consumer Affairs: “For every unsatisfied customer who complains, there are 26 other unhappy customers who say nothing. And of those 26 people, 24 won’t come back.”  http://www.simpletruths.com

There is an extraordinary story from the Wall Street Journal that managed to find a bright spot in flight cancellations about United Airlines Captain Denny Flanagan, who puts the friendly in friendly skies by personally greeting every passenger on his plane.

There’s a WOW story in Customer Love entitled: “Good service is a choice” and it’s about a cab driver. I can guarantee you we would all want to have Wally get us to our destination! He dared to be different and didn’t follow the herd mentality of “it’s a job.” I wrote a thank you card to Compendium, Inc. earlier this year about how much I appreciate their gift books (I purchased a number of copies of SHE last year, which is a superb contribution for women). During the holidays I received “live inspired” desk note pads from Compendium “out of the blue” with an enclosure card that said: “May this little gift remind you that it’s not what we have in our life, but who we have in our life that counts. Thank you for being in our life and sharing the journey with us.” How thoughtful is that?! I was so touched by their kindness.

In an earlier column, I shared the quote: “We don’t remember days, we remember moments.” That means we really do remember people who go the extra mile with a smile.   Customer Love is chock full of wonderful stories on people and companies who make a difference that is a joy to read. The story on the Delta gate agent is priceless. Customer Love expressed it well: “To say that you care is one thing. To show that you care is quite another.” You never know when you may make someone’s day.

Recently my husband was in Walgreens struggling to get a case of bottled water onto the check out stand. A total stranger asked him if he needed help. Then when he was in the parking lot with the same situation again, another Good Samaritan asked if he could assist him. He was so grateful at that display of generosity. When Walgreens was out of something during the holidays, the store manager gave my husband his personal cell phone number to call to save a trip and make an inquiry if that item had come in on the truck. Now that’s service!

Tom Brokaw said it well:

Sharon A. Warren, M.A  .Copyright © 2009 All rights reserved

the more easily the Universe can give to you.”

If we have difficulty receiving, it’s good to explore and ask our selves: “Why do I have receiving issues?” Most of us give easily, but may have inherent or even unconscious resistance to receiving. There is an art to receiving, and once we start holding our self in a good feeling place, we come to recognize and appreciate that it is a joy for people to give. Receiving becomes more natural and comfortable when we practice allowing.                                                                                                                             

Be excited by your newfound ability to receive! Look for new opportunities and open the floodgates to receive! Create space for receiving easily and naturally! Give the gift of receiving to yourself! Nurture it! Appreciate it! Let yourself truly feeeeeel the joy in receiving! Accept it in every cell of your body! Feel the sweetness of it! Amplify it! Magnify it! Absorb it! Expand it! Celebrate it! Let it be contagious! Become exuberant in your receiving! It strengthens bonds between the giver and receiver! 

I appreciate Sarah Breathnach’s quote: "Today, declare to the Universe that you are open to receiving all the abundance it is waiting patiently to bestow. Each day offers us the opportunity to learn that as well as giving, it is blessed to receive with grace and a grateful heart."

In my book, I mention imagining a Magic Genie, who appears in front of you instantly that says, “I will grant you three wishes. Your wish is my command.” I hope today as you read this blog, that you will consider declaring that one of you wishes is to RECEIVE openly, easily and frequently. 

And, in a fresh start this year,  it was personally fun to see how the Universe truly does have a sense of divine play regarding Genies. I wrote that segment about Your Magic Genie in 1999 in Chapter 2. In May, 2008, I recently became involved in literally giving away free genies! How’s that for manifesting prosperity in a way I couldn’t have foreseen?! You can download this genie at: http://www.sharonsfreegenie.com

May what Buddha shared become imbued in every cell of our being: “You can search the world over and you will find no one who is more deserving of your kindness and well wishing than you yourself.”

May the magic of your magnificence always shine on!