Written for SimplyLeap.com's Hug Tour

Huggers are everywhere but DC is full of people who are from all over the world. Some need personal space and others hug just about anyone for any reason.

I love hugging my friends (see Amy Throndsen & I here) and will take any chance to do that.

Hugging strangers isn't weird to me so rockin' the Ambassador role for the Hug Tour sounded fantastic.

Donning a hug tour t-shirt makes you think that anyone will want to hug you. It tells others you're an ambassador, it tells people to hug like they mean it and it's such a positive reinforcement.

A hug tour doesn't just happen. You have to make it happen.

Having a few places to travel to on one of the hottest days of the summer, I put on my dark blue Hug Tour shirt with a white skirt & headed off to Dupont for some meetings.

I got some random looks regarding my t-shirt and although trying to catch eyes, Metro people seemed to be really awkward and uninviting so I didn't pursue it. Had high hopes for some hugging but with the ridiculous temperatures, personal space seemed to be in high regard.

I headed into a Starbucks right off Dupont Circle and was standing in line when the manager tried reading my shirt. She was so outgoing and obviously caffeinated.

Saying that it was such a great message, I asked if she wanted a hug. She was hesitant but was obviously up for it.

I turned around and showed her that I was a hug ambassador. Her joy at the prospect of a hug just filled me with happiness.

Running over to me from her post behind the counter, she squeezed me tight and couldn't contain herself. She told me (and everyone else) that she had been there for 10 hours already and was just having a rough day.

The hug was the highlight of her day and she told me that she'd be telling all of her morning customers about the hug tour.

I didn't get another hug from someone I didn't know that day but it was the perfect start to my own personal hug tour. I felt like everyone I saw needed a hug and that everyone would be happy to get one... but I had to start slow. This was only my first day. 

Maybe I can make it a Starbucks Hug Tour and hug all of their managers.

 Ready, set... hug!