June 18, 2007

Bad Weather and Mondays Have a Lot in Common

ME Liz Strauss wrote this at 6:20 am

Any first grade teacher will tell you. . .

that you can predict the weather by a roomful 6-year-olds. Long before it rains, just when the barometer moves, they’ll start to get agitated and cranky. Long before the first drop ever comes down, they will be bouncing off the walls. They also get difficult.

First grade teachers learn how to recognize that frustrated energy when we see it coming. Terachers also prepare for kids who don’t want to come back to school on Monday mornings. Bad weather and Mondays have a lot in common.

Adults do the same things. Some days it’s in the air. Everyone is 2 1/2 dimensional. Their social affect is off. The energy is down. Folks are a little tense, terse, and temperamental.

A horoscope might say that Mercury is retrograde. But truly, days like those happen more often than Mercury could take credit for causing.

Adults also have trouble getting back into work mode on Mondays. Most of us just don’t want to. Weekends are too short and too busy to get us ready for another week to come.

Bad weather and Mondays, kids and adults, have a lot in common. The impending doom of bad weather and Mondays throws us off our best behavior, or tilts our balance some.

One generous smile can make a magnificent difference on a Monday morning.

Give one away and watch what unfolds. It’s almost magical what can happen. People reframe the week that is starting. Eyes open and brighten. Folks get taller and more engaging. They look up. They smile back. Even the cranky ones take notice.

Any first grade teacher will tell you that.

In some ways, we’re all 6 years old.

Who couldn’t use a generous smile on a Monday morning?

It especially works for the one doing the smiling.

Liz's Signature


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16 Comments to “Bad Weather and Mondays Have a Lot in Common”

  1. June 18th, 2007 at 6:30 am
    Jesse Petersen said

    Good insight into Mondays. I never knew that about kids. I can always tell a storm from my sinuses and my right knee. Now I have one more barometer. Where’s the nearest elementary school? /looks around for shorter people than myself

    I’ll give it a go today. There aren’t too many people to smile at today around here, as my cubemate called in sick…again…for her 3rd Monday in about 5 weeks. I’m sensing a trend. Oh well. She’ll run out of sick days soon if she keeps that up. :)

    I look forward to joining you in the ranks of people who just get up and start working on Mondays.

  2. June 18th, 2007 at 6:53 am
    ME Strauss said

    Hi, Jesse,
    I’d be smiling to have the cube to myself on a Monday . . . in fact on the third Monday, I’d find it tempting to write her a “thank you,” card about it. :)

    A smile goes a long way, especially when folks don’t expect one. :)

  3. June 18th, 2007 at 6:55 am
    Karin H. said

    Hi Liz

    Teenagers are even worse! ;-) (been a girl-scout leader in my time and oh boy - you knew when to get the brollies, the raincoats and the rubber boots out!).

    Since I mostly work during the weekends (and all weekdays, but that’s me - work = hobby, hobby = work) I’m looking forward to Mondays when the rest of the world comes back to talk, call, reply to emails etc.
    Smiles, I think you can hear them over the phone too, when callers realise the other one is already wide awake and having fun.

    Karin H. (Keep It Simple Sweetheart, specially in business)

  4. June 18th, 2007 at 7:59 am
    Kirk M said

    Hey Liz,

    “Rainy days and Mondays always get me down”. (Carpenters)

    See? They even wrote a song about it.

    I love using 6 year olds as a barometer for the weather. I keep a few in a box to take with me when I go camping or working in the woods. Haven’t gotten wet yet. (I’m kidding!!-I’m kidding!!) :D

    “People’s is people’s” as someone once said. I’m not sure you can actually outgrow one’s basic instincts. As an adult you’re a bit more “in control” than a 6 year old so the outward effects are more subtle yet still very much there, and I’m sure we all feel it just as strongly as when we were children. Even more so personally, as I’ve gotten into “somewhat advanced” middle age.

    In thinking about it (here he goes again), I believe it’s important that we recognize these feelings for what they are. So many times folks end up heading to the doctor because they feel out of sorts, who prescribe them some sort of pill they don’t need for something that’s perfectly natural and normal. Of course the pill makes things worse.

    Your first grade teacher was a wise women indeed.

    Hi Karin,

    That’s the nicest way I’ve ever heard K.I.S.S. described. It never pays to think too much. People get themselves in trouble that way. :)

  5. June 18th, 2007 at 8:03 am
    ME Strauss said

    Hi Karin!
    Teenages might be worse, but I’m convinced tha clueless adults are the worst of all!

    You bet folks can hear a smile over the phone. I know that people I talk to regularly can hear a lot in my voice and I can hear it in theirs. But you don’t have to know a person to hear a smile. Think of any customer service experience on the phone — you can tell whether the persom who is serving you is smiling. :)

  6. June 18th, 2007 at 8:16 am
    Karin H. said

    Hi Kirk M

    Thanks for the compliment. ‘Sweetheart’ sounds so much nicer than the usual ’stupid’ version. Plus, IMHO, stupid is negative and doesn’t entice to improve practices, the positive sweetheart version does. And that’s where I was/am after ;-)

    Hi Liz

    Smiles you can hear, see - even read - everywhere indeed, through any medium, as long as the smiler is genuine. ;-)

    Karin H.

  7. June 18th, 2007 at 8:19 am
    ME Strauss said

    Hi Kirk!
    The longer I know you, the more I enjoy you! I’m laughing out loud! :)

    I hadn’t thought about the folks who go to the doctor to fix what the atmosphere causes. You’re so on the money about that.

    The sad part is that folks try to ignore their out of sorts feelings to make them go away. I know, I’m guilty of that on some days.

  8. June 18th, 2007 at 8:26 am
    ME Strauss said

    Yeah, Karin!
    A genuine, generous smile. When folks would say, “What do you need?” in store. My dad would smile and say, “Just a kind word and a smile.”

    They would always smile back. :)

  9. June 18th, 2007 at 8:29 am
    Karin H. said

    Hi Liz

    The sad part is that folks try to ignore their out of sorts feelings to make them go away. I know, I’m guilty of that on some days

    That’s one of the reasons I read Kirsten’s daily affirmations, keeps me ‘healthy’ ;-)

    Your dad sounds he is my kind of guy: simple, sweet ;-)

    Karin H

  10. June 18th, 2007 at 9:14 am
    ME Strauss said

    Hi Karin,
    Kirsten’s affirmations start the day wonderfully. I like them too.

    My dad taught me most of what I know about people and what I know about unconditional love. My mom taught me the rest about people and what I know about strength.

  11. June 18th, 2007 at 9:23 am
    Karin H. said

    Hi Liz

    That sounds like they were a very strong team, your parents.

    Karin H.

  12. June 18th, 2007 at 9:29 am
    ME Strauss said

    Yes, they were. Indeed they were. Each alone and both together. :)

  13. June 18th, 2007 at 9:37 am
    Kirsten Harrell, Psy.D. said

    Hi Liz,
    Happy Monday to you! Wouldn’t it be nice if everyone brought their weekend “happy” attitude to work on Monday! :) I keep working on having my vacation attitude everyday!

    Karin and Liz -
    Thanks for the kind words about my daily affirmations. I am happy they are making a difference! :)

  14. June 18th, 2007 at 9:52 am
    ME Strauss said

    Ah Kirsten!
    A vacation attitude every day. I can’t hear that enough! YEA! :)

  15. June 18th, 2007 at 12:46 pm
    gp said

    LOL … horses are infamous for being barometers . When the weather’s changing /getting windy, the bucky dance ensues. It’s been hard for me not to take it “personally”… was it something I said ? :)

    Since moving to Montana, Mondays arent the “ugh” day they used to be. Down to ride Picken later, see what side of the corral she woke up on another Montana Monday :)

    GP in Montana

  16. June 18th, 2007 at 12:50 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Hi GP!
    I bet that’s what happened! Every time I got on one, it was right before a rainstorm or something. Yeah! :)

    Do tell Picken I send my regards from right side of the circuitry inside your computer!
    Liz

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