One day I took my granddaughter to school. When we arrived she jumped out of the car and I said, “Have a nice day.” She gave me a big smile and ran into the school.

As I was driving away I started thinking about the “Have a nice day” expression. It sounded so automatic like I was expected to say it. I felt the standard goodbye expression was saying be careful, don’t make too many waves or changes, and if you’re lucky, you will have a nice day.

I wanted my granddaughter to know that she could positively impact her day. Ralph Waldo Emerson once stated: “People only see what they are prepared to see.” Without lecturing her, I wanted her to learn how to take responsibility for the quality of her day. She may not be in total control of what happens in her day, but she can control how she thinks about those events.

From that day forward I started saying “Make it a good day.” She is a little older now and she understands the importance of the statement. She knows that she has the power to affect how she views the events in her life.

Questions for Discussion:
1. There are other “automatic” expressions many of us use everyday. For example: “How’s it going” or “How about this weather.” What could you replace these expressions with?

2. What does this Dwight D. Eisenhower’s quote mean to you? “No one can defeat us unless we first defeat ourselves.”

Suggestions for Implementation:
1. Start using the “Make it a good day!” expression with your family and friends.

2. You should be ready to explain why you are using this new goodbye expression.