Which taxi are you driving?
I just spent a few days in Montreal at the International Coach Federation conference where one of them themes was our ability to create negative or positive energy and their effects on others. It’s interesting how life provides real time illustrations to drive home the point.
On the taxi ride from the airport to the hotel, the driver definitely had a cranky outlook. My couple of attempts at conversation were unsuccessful as the driver impatiently weaved in and out of traffic - at one point coming close to driving on the sidewalk. I’ve been in lots of taxis but this was the first time that a driver rolled down the window and shouted insults at other drivers. Everything seemed to be an irritation for him. Definitely an unpleasant experience and I was glad to finally arrive at the hotel.
Fast forward several days to the return trip to the airport. Different driver, different taxi, different experience. This time the entire trip was filled with light-hearted chatter, laughter, smiles and a couple of jokes. The time just flew by but quite happily I could have spent lots of time stuck in traffic with this guy if that had been the circumstances. Two different drivers and two different outlooks on life.
On any given day, which taxi are you driving?
Do you take the time to connect with other people or do you put your head down and get through day?
Do you share conversation with others or do you mutter under your breath?
Do you make negative comments or do you smile and laugh?
Positive mental attitude
One of the sessions at the conference explored the idea that our negative thoughts actually physically deplete our energy and that of the people around us. Conversely, positive thoughts expand energy fields. Your positive mental attitude is not just yours - it is shared with all of us. It seems to me that it doesn’t matter whether you are skeptical of the science or not. Real life experiences show us all the time that being around negative people has an unsettling effect on us. Being around positive people uplifts us.
Here’s an interesting idea to consider.
You can decide how to respond to that negative energy. You can hold a positive thought for this person - a silent prayer of good wishes. In that simple act, you just might increase their positive energy. At the very least least you can decrease your own.
Sending all of you wherever you are happy thoughts for a wonderful day.
