Long Life Movement

Change Your Mind

In my early years of work at a local TV station, I barely made any money. I saw convenience stores as overpriced money drains that were taboo in my life.

It wasn’t until marriage, 2 kids, and a “full on” schedule that I began to appreciate convenience store culture.

I guess I changed my mind.

I found myself and the kids stopping in for a pack of gum, a free ICEE post a game, a milkshake after the beach, and now, a decaf coffee with hazelnut cream (refills only 85 cents!).

I think I get more than 85 cents worth of coffee.  

Even after months of not being in the store, I am recognized and noticed.  I receive a feeling of connection.

How does this happen in 2 minutes?  I walk in. I pour my coffee.  I pay.  I walk out.  I make a transaction.  85 cents.  A cup of coffee.  

What I receive is a transformation – a transformation gifted by the people who work there.

Who works at my corner convenience store? Really happy people! I recently asked if it was part of the job requirement!  

There’s the woman from Romania who cleans the counter tops and floors.  She calls me “Special” because she thinks I have an interesting way of dressing.

The other day, I walked in the store talking on my cell phone dressed in sweat pants and a t-shirt.  

With her thick accent, she said, “Not special.” She cracked me up!

And then there’s the cashier who greets you with such strong beams of sunshine and joy-filled comments that you can’t help but smile for a good 10 minutes after leaving the store.

These employees do this their entire shift!  They remember the regulars making personal comments. They acknowledge the new customer, showering attention.

Being noticed and appreciated as well as having positive interactions with others shifts our mind and promotes feelings of well being.

Walking in the store at various times of day, I feel like I live in Mayberry or maybe I’m in a Cheers episode.  

I am beginning to realize that it’s not the decaf I like so much, it’s the transformational experience that I quickly receive.

I always walk out of the store with my mind changed and my mood uplifted.

The jolt of energy is not from the decaf.  It’s from the people – the employees create a ripple effect.  

It’s pretty addicting – and only 85 cents.

Tags: , , ,

about the author

Lisa Long, M.A.

Lisa Long wants to live in a world where Love gives you a "permission slip" to drop the mask and be who you are. Known for her hearty and full-body laugh, Lisa meets people where they are in the present moment. She passionately believes in the healing potential of movement. As a teacher and producer/writer, her work has been featured on Good For You blog, CBS television station affiliates, and telelvision cable channel networks as well her print manual called "Home Practice: A Guide for Healing from Breast Cancer" was published by a 5 hospital health care network. When she's not helping others reach their fullest potential, you'll find Lisa hiking a trail to a waterfall or riding her bike at the beach. Her latest collaboration with an online classroom platform launched in 2020.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Leave your thoughts

Check These Out

Based on your interest, we've curated these articles just for you.

walk kripalu labyrinth lisa long

Snowball Fight with Buddha – Labyrinth Walk

My numbness was unbearable. Frigid hands compacted wet snow into a ball. I took aim and smacked Laughing Buddha in the head. With a roar of laughter, joy returned to my soul from a labyrinth walk at Kripalu.  I’ve been here before mentally and physically. Basically, drained, discouraged, and deeply troubled, I found myself numb… View Article

4 min read

red kayak in water with sea grass

3 Ways to Reduce Stress

Navigating through the unfamiliar requires awareness and skill. Often, we resort to our past experiences of how we have found our way and coped to reduce stress in our lives. Truth be told, sometimes our old patterns, habits, and coping skills are just not working. And even with our best effort, we find ourselves continuing… View Article

5 min read

man on car

Relieve Stress Fast

Stress can be good. Really, I am serious. Stress can be a good thing. We’ve given stress such a bad rap, lately. It’s like the rotten step-child in a Disney move. We blame stress for just about everything. Well, like a good animated film, there’s always a happy ending where we all realize what we… View Article

4 min read