We have all experienced those mornings after being out with our friends all night. Tired eyes. Messy hair. Mismatch socks. Wanting something to get you through the day; Dunkin Donuts, Starbucks, WHATEVER. I know this opening sounds random but stay with me here.

So, a couple of weeks ago I went out with my friends. Once I finally got myself going, the next day, I headed to Dunkin Donuts. This is probably the best time to put it out there that I am an extrovert-introvert. Sometimes I can go so much into myself that I forget the importance of my smile and general pleasant human interaction. I mean, I’m a work in progress (lol). Interestingly enough, on this day I was in an exceptionally good mood despite having a headache.

I pull up to the Dunkin Donuts drive-though and I hear a voice asking me what I would like. Something about this voice made me smile and put me in an even better mood. Her voice was sooooooo friendly. I go to the window to pick up my order and I get an overwhelming feeling that I should ask her how her day has been, so I do. This simple question paired with a smile is how I left the Dunkin Donuts line in tears.

She and I ended up having about a fifteen minute conversation. She told me that she was blessed. She said that her customers are the greatest thing that ever happened to her and that every day she wakes up and thanks God for the opportunity to work at Dunkin Donuts.

You see, three years ago she was homeless. This job was her breakthrough and the people who come every morning for a cup of coffee are her guardian angels. Her customers have helped her keep her lights on and even given her money for rent at times when she was a couple of dollars away from being back on the streets. After our conversation I thanked her for blessing me with her story. I was reminded of a couple major things from my interaction with her that day:

A smile goes a long way. Just smile. Claiming you just have a natural stern face aka “bf” is just an excuse.
Behind that nice voice or smile is a story you may never imagine. A story that will give you all the feels.
If they can get through the day smiling, regardless of their struggles, so can you.
No matter how your day is going, good or bad, take the time to really connect with someone. They may teach you something or give you a friendly reminder.

Written By: Erin Phillips, CCL CEO