Human Connections
Did you ever wake up feeling a bit low for no reason at all?
You try to figure out what’s making you feel down and you just can’t put your finger on it?
I woke up like this last Friday morning. I just felt a bit "meh" and found it hard to get out of bed but I got up and went to the gym anyway. I had a great workout but felt no better after it. Normally a workout would lift my mood but it hadn’t done the trick so I drove home thinking I’ll lie down on the sofa with a blanket and watch a movie and that will make me feel better.
When I got home Lenny was hopping out of his skin looking to go for a walk. The internal battle began. The good Bernie said go out for a walk in the fresh air, it will make you feel so much better. The bad Bernie said lie down on the sofa, you deserve to have a bit of a rest, and you can take Lenny out later sher….
The good Bernie won the battle and I put Lenny’s lead on and headed out the door. By the time I left the housing estate I already felt 100 times better. It was a stunning crisp autumn day. The sky was blue and the sun was shining. The colours on the trees were all magnificent and it felt great to be out in it.
As I walked it dawned on me that it wasn’t just being out in the fresh air that was bringing a smile to my face. It was getting out and seeing people and having small little interactions with them all that really did the trick. Smiling at strangers I passed on the street and wishing them a good morning and commenting on how gorgeous the weather was, while mundane, was very uplifting. Sitting on the sofa would have been the easier option. I could have stayed in and felt sorry for myself but getting out was definitely the right thing to do.
This got me thinking about human connectedness and what makes us happy. There’s no doubt that close connections with family and friends play a major part in our happiness. But what about the large number of strangers and acquaintances we interact with every day? The cashier in the shop who smiles and tells you to have a good day, the stranger on the bus who nods as you walk by, the customer you chat with for a minute about the football match the night before... Do those interactions make us happier too?
I really feel they do. When you think about it, interactions with strangers, acquaintances, work colleagues, friends of friends and people who are not very close to us probably make up the bulk of our human interactions on a daily basis. For some people these may be the only interactions they have every day so they are even more important for them.
So, smile at people when you walk down the street. Say good morning to the person behind you in the queue at the bank. Not only will it brighten up your day but you just might be helping to make someone else’s day too.
You try to figure out what’s making you feel down and you just can’t put your finger on it?
I woke up like this last Friday morning. I just felt a bit "meh" and found it hard to get out of bed but I got up and went to the gym anyway. I had a great workout but felt no better after it. Normally a workout would lift my mood but it hadn’t done the trick so I drove home thinking I’ll lie down on the sofa with a blanket and watch a movie and that will make me feel better.
When I got home Lenny was hopping out of his skin looking to go for a walk. The internal battle began. The good Bernie said go out for a walk in the fresh air, it will make you feel so much better. The bad Bernie said lie down on the sofa, you deserve to have a bit of a rest, and you can take Lenny out later sher….
The good Bernie won the battle and I put Lenny’s lead on and headed out the door. By the time I left the housing estate I already felt 100 times better. It was a stunning crisp autumn day. The sky was blue and the sun was shining. The colours on the trees were all magnificent and it felt great to be out in it.
As I walked it dawned on me that it wasn’t just being out in the fresh air that was bringing a smile to my face. It was getting out and seeing people and having small little interactions with them all that really did the trick. Smiling at strangers I passed on the street and wishing them a good morning and commenting on how gorgeous the weather was, while mundane, was very uplifting. Sitting on the sofa would have been the easier option. I could have stayed in and felt sorry for myself but getting out was definitely the right thing to do.
This got me thinking about human connectedness and what makes us happy. There’s no doubt that close connections with family and friends play a major part in our happiness. But what about the large number of strangers and acquaintances we interact with every day? The cashier in the shop who smiles and tells you to have a good day, the stranger on the bus who nods as you walk by, the customer you chat with for a minute about the football match the night before... Do those interactions make us happier too?
I really feel they do. When you think about it, interactions with strangers, acquaintances, work colleagues, friends of friends and people who are not very close to us probably make up the bulk of our human interactions on a daily basis. For some people these may be the only interactions they have every day so they are even more important for them.
So, smile at people when you walk down the street. Say good morning to the person behind you in the queue at the bank. Not only will it brighten up your day but you just might be helping to make someone else’s day too.
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