There’s no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing – Norwegian saying
It’s been a long, cold winter where I live in Minnesota.
My kids have missed 6 days of school for cold or snow over the past month, and winter’s far from over: my neighbor reminded me this week that March is typically our snowiest month.
I’m tempted to complain about the weather as much as anyone; and frankly, it is a decent coping strategy.
But it occurs to me that it’s not necessarily the weather itself – or any experience – that makes things difficult.
It’s usually our response to experiences that either make them pleasant, tolerable or a pain-in-the-you-know-what.
It’s normal and natural to make and apply meaning to any of our experiences: it’s what we do as humans.
But it’s worth noting our patterns of interpretation in our personal or professional lives: do you make frustrations, set-backs or annoyances you experience into something personal or can you see them as temporary?
Complain, worry or gripe about the weather (or life), or just pull on another sweater and warmer socks?
Our emotional reactions to life’s experiences can be seen just as another type of weather: storms that blow in and blow by. Rather than getting caught up or swept away in the temporary nature of our emotions, experiences or interpretations, we can instead pay careful attention to what is actually happening, right now, in the moment.
The weather of life will come and go, regardless of our opinions or interpretations. But we can choose how we want to experience the weather that comes our way: head down, collar up, bearing the brunt of it; or aware, observant, and present to it, whatever it is.
In the Comments below, I’d love to hear from you: what helps you weather the weather in your world – actual or emotional?
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Before specializing as a professional coach in 2004, I spent more than a decade in leadership, management and program development for state and local government and non-profit organizations. Now I get to help leaders and teams have more clarity and ability to stand up for what's important in their work and in their organizations. Working with me, leaders and teams find more meaning and purpose, feel happier and more confident, navigate change and conflict, and work together better.
Winter is being long and hard here in Wisconsin, too, but my morale is excellent anyhow. All of the indoor living (I have a lot of arthritis and outdoor sports are a thing of the past) makes time for extra-long, thoughtful, good-smelling cookery and more time spent with good books. Bird watching is terrific because we have a lot of feeders and a great number and variety of visitors. Computer bird-watching is splendid, too, with the famous Decorah eagles already watching over three eggs and three new baby owls on the Georgia balcony!I am also having fun thinking of spring things to come–and getting ready. Time on the exercycle is getting me in shape for biking about on my three-wheeler and we are starting to plan where we can visit with our RV. Friends are so important, with potlucks and game nights easy ways to entertain–and to be entertained.
Great examples, Jane! Thanks for commenting!