Originally, I was going to call this post “3 Simple Things I Love About The UK”. And it was simply going to be an anti-rant about this great country I just moved to last October.
But as I was thinking about it, I realized this post can be more useful than that! The concept can be expanded beyond what I personally love about one particular country. It can be about what you love about every area of your life!
So first I’m going to present the original 3 simple things I love about the UK. And then I’ll write a bit more about how you can create a similar list to feel happier and get rid of boredom!
Let’s get started…
1. The bus drivers
Back where I come from originally, the bus drivers are some of the meanest and nastiest people you can think of. If you’re running to catch a bus, they will probably wait until you’re about 2 metres from the door, and then slam it closed in your face and drive off.
In the UK, the bus drivers are some of the nicest people around! They’re always cheerful and enthusiastic, always ready to help you out if you need directions or anything!
And you know why? Because every time we ordinary citizens get on a bus we greet the driver, and every time we get off we thank them for the journey.
It’s amazing how such little things can improve someone’s life. It remind me of a story from Dale Carnegie’s book How to Win Friends and Influence People. In there, Dale shares a story about a company that had lots of trouble with their cleaner. He did a very poor job, and the employees mocked him for it, and even specifically made the floors dirty just to show what a poor job he was doing.
Then a new manager came on board, and he decided to radically solve the problem. He got the whole office together, and in front of everybody, *he thanked the cleaner for the great job he was doing*! Everybody was astonished! But you know what? The next day, the cleaner did a better job of cleaning up the floor! And the manager went and personally thanked him for the improvement. And he continued to do so every time he saw an improvement.
Before long, the office was pristinely clean, and all the employees really started to appreciate the cleaner. It didn’t take any threats or promises of rewards. The cleaner simply needed to know that he’s valued and appreciated, and the manager knew how to provide that.
2. Non-smoking bars and clubs
In the UK, you can’t smoke in public indoor places (or something along those lines). And this includes bars and clubs.
As a non-smoker, I really love this! I can go out for a fun night out with friends, and come back smelling more or less just as clean as I went! (As opposed to completely reeking of cigarette smoke after just half an hour in any bar where smoking is allowed.)
3. The people’s accents
I don’t know why, but I find the British people’s accents totally awesome 
From the Cockney (London) accent, to Scottish accents, to Irish accents (though Ireland isn’t technically part of the UK), they’re just a pleasure to my ear!
And here in the North of England, although the people might not have the most awesome British accents, they make up for it by using some totally funky phrases. How many times a day do YOU get called “luv”?
—
5 Simple Things I Love About…
But you know, this post isn’t really about me, or about the UK. It’s about the simple principle of looking around you at all the awesome things in your life.
You can treat this as a game! The next time you’re waiting in a checkout line, or stuck in traffic, simply ask yourself, “What 3 simple things do I love about…?”, and substitute any part of your life.
For example, you could ask yourself what you love about…
- your job (or school)
- your relationships
- the room you’re in right now
…and anything else you can think of!
It’s a simple way to blast some happiness into your life every day, plus it gets rid of some boredom for you!
Hey, in fact, do it right now! Pick an area of your life, and ask what three simple things you love about it. If you want, you can even share the love in the comments 
. There’s always room for more gratitude.
(By the way, 14 months after I started this blog, I finally added a picture of myself! You can see it at the About page.)
 |
||
 |
|
|
{ 9 comments… read them below or add one }
You note that Ireland is “technically” not part of the UK.
Trust me: to the Irish, this is far more than a technicality.
Brian Burtt’s last blog post..Organized and Disorganized Bodies
“Back where I come from originally, the bus drivers are some of the meanest and nastiest people you can think of. If you’re running to catch a bus, they will probably wait until you’re about 2 metres from the door, and then slam it closed in your face and drive off.”
This sounds very familiar to me. Are you maybe from Balkan?
There are still public buildings in the US where you can smoke? I’ve lived in Washington forever, si I’m a bit out of date, it seems. We’ve been smoke free here for a decade or so. Even bars, the last bastion of smoky nastiness, have breathable air now. No more disrobing at the mudroom door and heading straight for the shower after a night out, like I had to in college.
Gabrielle’s last blog post..The goddesses are coming!
Ah Leeds! I grew up there. I haven’t been back for years, but I loved the way you could walk from one end of the main shopping area to the other, if you were reasonably fit. I loved the higher proportion of men that thought women were human and might actually have a brain (OK, so this was the late 70s and early 80s). I loved the market with the balcony held up by wrought iron dragons and the corn exchange. I loved the plentiful public transport (I love living in the country, but this village gets one bus every two hours.)
Here, I love the climate, and the amazing scenery, and the cheap wine. I love carnival (just finished, unfortunately) and the local fiestas. I love the way just speaking English is a marketable skill. I love having a beach ten minutes’ drive away, too.
Vlad – this is a great idea; it prompts you to be more fully in the moment and also be aware of your thinking, which governs how you feel, level of happiness, state of mind etc.
This is an excellent way to catch any negative thoughts, and the flip side would be to pay attention to what you are moaning about at any given time; so that you can switch back to focus on the positive elements.
Paul Foreman’s last blog post..Letting Go
I live in Sweden, near Stockholm (the capital):
1. My class! I am in a class that specialized in math and everyone are very nice and interesting individuals that have their own personality.
2. Occasionally I get the feeling that anything is possible, which is a lovely feeling. I hope I can keep it coming:) It tends to disappear when there is too much schoolwork to to though…
3. The fact that I recently found this great blog!
4. Soon I’ll buy a new graphics card to this computer (ATI Radeon 4850), a new fan for my computer case (to sit in the front) and a new cooler for my Intel P4 3,4 GHZ. It’s gonna be awesome, I Have alot of games waiting for me (Empire Total War, UT3, Doom 3, stalker etc…)
5. In the end of the year, I’ll buy a whole new computer, which I’ll build myself. It’s gonna be POWERFUL!!! So I’ll have one great computer and another one that’s ok, it’s great to have two computers ready when you have a friend over.
@Mak:
Close enough. I’m from central Europe.
@Gabrielle:
No idea, I’ve never been to the US (yet).
@Sheila, Filip:
Thanks for sharing
Hi mate – I’m curious to know what you think of the iphone – a bit random I know..
Vlad,
I just found you’re site today (well, yesterday, because it’s midnight now) and I have to say the simplicity and straightforwardness is quite refreshing. Also, the design of your site is quite attractive. I hate the color blue, but you picked one of the best shades. Also, forgive me, but you’re name reminds me of Vlad Tepes, which is good. I mean, some people thought he was evil, but I honestly believe, as do his people even today, that he was a hero of his time. Anyway, I thought I’d take a moment to write down three things I love about life in general right now.
1. Penguins! Yes, srsly, I love penguins (another reason I like your blog).
2. Here in America, we may not have the cool cockney accents, but several friends and myself call people “love” quite often, and I have to admit it makes our interactions seem so much more . . loving. (You did not see that coming.)
3. Very recently, I’ve learned several things about myself and the reason I’m having certain problems. For instance, I’m a firm believer in “everything in moderation, even moderation”, but it never occurred to me that too much introspection can be a bad thing. To the point, I love that I have the knowledge to change, which spurs me on to a fourth . .
4. I love change.