When People Are at Ease With You
The way people feel in your presence is a mirror of how Hashem regards you.
Rebbi Chanina ben Dosa used to say: anyone with whom people are at ease, Hashem is at ease with him; and anyone with whom people are not at ease, Hashem is not at ease with him. This is a remarkable teaching from a man who spent his days in tefillah. Closeness to Hashem, he reminds us, is never measured in the beis medrash alone. It shows in the market, at home and among the neighbors. A person who is honest, gentle and easy to be around brings Hashem's pleasure into the world. A person who is pious but harsh, who leaves others feeling judged or uncomfortable, should ask himself whether Heaven is really pleased. Rebbi Chanina, whose neighbors came to him with their troubles and whose honesty extended even to a stranger's chickens, lived this teaching every day.
Source: Pirkei Avos 3:10 (numbered 3:13 in some editions)
Think of one person in your daily life who might find you a little hard to deal with: a coworker, a sibling, a neighbor, the cashier you rush past. This week, make one deliberate change with that person. Smile and ask how they are and wait for the answer, let a small irritation go unmentioned, or thank them for something specific. Notice how the atmosphere changes. Rebbi Chanina teaches that Heaven notices too.