For most people, Mondays are that dreaded day when the rest of the weekend has come to an abrupt end and it's back to another long day fighting traffic and sitting in front of a computer screen. Residents of Washington, DC are getting a surprising morale boost however. Four volunteers, led by 29 year old Massoud Adibpour, have taken to standing on the corner of 14th street on the Mall holding aloft signs of good will for passing motorists. The signs include "Smile", "Be Happy", "Don't be so hard on yourself", and "Honk if you love someone!"
The act has been met with a lot of enthusiasm as cars honk, bicycles ring their bells, and pedestrians give thumbs up to the display. So far, Massoud and his friends have been able to get 307 honks as their personal record. They're aiming for 350 in the future. The efforts of these cheerful volunteers isn't to be taken too lightly either. Science has suggested that for every negative experience someone has, they need approximately five good ones to make up for it, however, seeing the signs might jog feelings of good will and gratitude that will assist in setting the tone for an entire day. In other words, the people who Massoud cheers are more likely to have a better day because they're already in a positive mood.
“No one wants to go to work on Monday, so we wanted to brighten people’s day,” he said. “D.C.’s really stressed out, so I wanted to spread a little bit of happiness in the city. I think it can go pretty far.”
Want to read more about the other efforts and amazing kindness Massoud and his friends are doing? Click here.
