Hold The Door

I recently happened upon a reel of two groups of Avenger movie stars exiting an elevator car.

One group was the old guard of actors and included Robert Downey, Jr. The other group was the young guard and included Tom Holland.

As the elevator car carrying the young guard reached its destined floor, the stars piled out – the young male actors in the front excitedly exiting first, with actress Zendaya chasing them from the rear before the doors closed.

Meanwhile, when the elevator door carrying the old guard opened, the men at the front straightened their posture, extended their arms to ensure that the door stayed open, and made a proper gesture for their female and male castmates to exit from the back of the elevator first.

I think opening doors for others is an important habit that serves a purpose much greater than proper manners or good optics.

When we open and hold a door open for someone else, we set the scene for them to enter a new environment in a confident and dignified manner. We acknowledge that they are seen and that they are worthy of our attention and support.

For those reasons, I also think we should make a habit of opening figurative doors for others.

Think for a minute about when a figurative door has been opened for you in your life. Did you feel more confident/worthy of stepping into a new space as a result? Did you feel valued and not overlooked? Perhaps it changed your perception of something. Perhaps it changed your life.

My guess is someone’s small, door-opening gesture has likely made a big impact on each of us at some point in our lives.

Today I invite you to consider paying it forward.

What door can you open for someone around you? Who might your gesture shine a light on and perhaps benefit in a big way?

It’s a simple, yet classy thing to do that just might make you someone's superhero.

Best,

Molly