Is it a Full Moon or Something?

By Spencer Combs

Last week my wife went into work during those few days between Christmas and New Years. She shared with me that there was something weird going on. “It just seems like everyone was rude today…like everyone has an attitude or something” she told me. Now if you know my wife, she works for a pediatric dentistry and is the appointment coordinator, she is one of the kindest people to walk the planet. I could tell from her tone and physiology that she was disturbed by the behavior. One lady even hung up on her! The audacity! There must be a full moon or something, right? The funny thing is, I received a call from a close friend of mine who is a sales rep for UPS with a similar story today. He shared the ridiculous attitudes by not only the consumers but also some of his co-workers. There must certainly be something going on… No? I’m not sure if you have experienced anything similar but here is my take on the whole situation.

The Holiday season is to blame. How?, you may ask. Easy. They get pushed to the limit with their schedules, throwing routines out of whack. Their secure, daily routines get thrown off. Many families are still paying the financial price for their holiday. For most people, their diet has been thrown off by sporadic snacking. For others, their daily physical activity has been hindered by enjoyment of “relaxation”. I think by now you get the point. Every aspect of their lives is turned on end to create the holiday experience they feel like they “should have”. Then suddenly, life gets back to normal. These individuals carry the stress of the holiday into their everyday experiences, thus making the smallest things become big things. Their immune system is lower, so sickness is more rampant (add to that the climate changes in some areas).

So what can we do about it? If you are one of those people that feel like you are in the “funk”. Then the best advice I can give is for you to become aware of your physical needs by taking care of yourself first. Then become aware of your focus. What are you focusing on and how are you interpreting it? Start asking yourself “what outcome do I really want out of this?” Don’t get bogged down with the semantics, focus on the results.

If you are one of the fortunate ones that get to deal with someone like that, my suggestion is be the agent of change in that person’s life. Many times just a smile can absolutely make someone’s day. Haven’t you been in a store walking around, in your own world, and someone smile or make a comment that just pulled you out of your emotional pit? I know I have. I can recall several occasions where I would be thinking heavily about a subject and have someone exchange a “hello” with me. For a brief moment I was being acknowledged. I existed. Life was bigger than my current situation. I make it a point now to look people in the eye as they pass me in a parking lot or in a store and smile or say hello. It is actually harder than it sounds. There are many that just pass me by and will not look up. Some will even look away just to avoid making any connection at all. Truthfully there is nothing you can do to change someone else’s attitude. However, I can go through my day and control my own attitude and I have found my life is much better that way. The people around you can be sour, but you do not have to be. You can choose to smile anyway. You can choose to find solutions not the problems. You can have the “holiday cheer” all year round. Why save it for just that portion of the year? Why let others determine your level of happiness? Smile, 2009 has begun. Today is here. This is your only real asset that is common among us all. Make what you want of it… full moon or not.

Spencer Combs
http://www.spencercombs.com