Take the Good weather with you
Take The Good Weather With You
It has been raining almost every day in Cape Town over the last few weeks, and it is the first thing that people talk about when you see them. The rain is not a surprise – it always rains this time of year. But the short, cold, wet days and long nights still come as a shock to the system, even though we have lived here for almost five years.
The sun came out on Sunday afternoon, and immediately, it felt like everyone went outside. People were walking their dogs, cycling, sitting in the sun, rollerblading, just enjoying the sunshine and slightly warmer weather. Some were even brave enough to go for a swim in the ocean.
Living in Africa, we miss the sun when it hides away for anything longer than a day. We gravitate towards it. And it is the same way with people who seem to emit sunshine and light wherever they go. Have you noticed how some people light up a room when they walk into it? You could put it down to their physical appearance, how they dress or a special personality (and all those things might make a difference), but I think it comes down to a choice they make. A choice that all of us have the freedom to make: The choice to be a positive force of nature in the world. How much you smile, how you talk to the car guard or the call centre agent, your attitude towards the waiter or the lady working at the checkout. That is a form of sunshine you take with you everywhere you go.
It is even more impactful in the environments where you spend the most time: your home and workplace. Being friendly to the man who delivers your Checkers60 is easier than with your kids, who refuse to put away their toys, or the lady in the office who conveniently delegates all her work while spending most of her time chatting away.
The point is not being the “always look at the bright side of life” type of person. I don’t believe in that fake way of living. Rather, I think we can all do a lot of good by being more aware of and deliberate about the impact we have in the spaces we spend our time.
James Clear, the author of Atomic Habits, wrote recently about the qualities that have nothing to do with talent or intelligence, but can make a dramatic impact on our results. The first one on the list is how cheerful you are – being pleasant to work with (and be around) and generally raising the level of energy in the room. In doing that, the good weather will follow us around everywhere we go.
Anybody can do that, irrespective of personality, appearance or position. It just takes us being more aware of how we show up.
Thank you for reading.
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