Make Gratuity Included 💛

We’ve normalized tipping 20% for a coffee handed across a counter or for someone scanning a simple to-go item. Sometimes, the tip is for effort. Sometimes... it’s just expected. I think we have all experienced the awkward moment when you're asked to "make a selection" and you discreetly select the "no tip" or "other" button. 🤫

I have found myself tipping when someone adds a little light to my day with a genuine smile, a kind word, or an attentive gesture. That kind of warmth is always worth paying forward. ☀️

So what if we carried that same spirit into the rest of our lives? What if every interaction came with an invisible "gratuity included" with an extra 20% of patience, kindness, and presence?

This past weekend at my daughter's chaotic three-day volleyball tournament in Long Beach, I tried exactly that. I opened doors, greeted strangers, and let others go first. I asked people how they were really doing, and I listened and learned. The shift was real. Not just in others, but in me.

I attracted amazing and memorable service in restaurants during the rare breaks us parents were given to eat. I even had friendly strangers start conversations with me.

There’s a reason the word “gratuity” shares roots with “gratitude.” Both come from gratus, meaning thankful or pleasing. When we lead with gratitude, we tip the scales of our day not with money, but with meaning, contentment, and energy.

💛 So here’s a Golden Trifecta™ challenge for the week: tip extra not just with money but with your light of energy and grace. Seek opportunities not just at the café, but in traffic, in line, or even in conversation. Make someone’s moment lighter, even if only by 20%.

When you make gratuity included your way of life, you'll find abundance is included too. 🤓

© Nuri Dimler 2025