How many times have you gone out and complained about the weather – it’s too cold, too hot, or just too something. One of my pleasures is being able to walk to my Cognitive Hypnotherapy rooms in Richmond or Twickenham and enjoying the sights, sounds and the weather, no matter what it is. And the only times I complain about the weather is when I have made the wrong choices in how I dress for it. Ironically as I write this I’m wondering why I didn’t put my gloves on when it is clearly cold and I’m now struggling to type.
“There’s no such thing as bad weather, only the wrong clothes” *
I can’t remember when or where I first heard that, but I remember thinking that that’s all well and good but hardly helpful when I chose not to wear my heavier coat in case I got too warm. Or I’ve decided to not wear a waterproof over my jacket**
Before I go running however I am very keen to make sure that I’m wearing the right gear so that I don’t get too cold (unlikely) or too hot (much more likely). I use my experience of how long I’m running for and where I’m running to make a judgement about what I’ll need to wear.
Lately I’ve been using this attitude not just for clothing but for a lot of situations. What can I do to make sure I have the best experience in a situation, how can I prepare myself for what is to come, to do all I can to make it as helpful as possible? Because that’s the thing isn’t it? If we are prepared for something then we usually cope with what happens so much better than if we just turn up hoping for the best.
As November becomes December we are already firmly rushing towards Christmas and all that that brings to people. It can be the source of so much joy, but it’s not always a positive experience for people. The tensions that remain submerged during the year can resurface when faced with circumstances such as family gatherings, dealing with loss, or finding yourself alone. No matter what it is, Christmas can make our struggles even more difficult.
We are all fellow strugglers. But this year I’m going to approach this season differently. I’m going to prepare for the ‘weather’ I’m expecting so that when it happens I’m prepared. This might be making the decision to not respond to somebody who is determined to criticise; to be generous to somebody who may not recognise how damaging their words are, or to simply make the decision to stay away knowing that the situation isn’t helpful to us.
We can’t change the weather, but we can take a brolly if we suspect it might rain, or we can choose to simply stay and home and enjoy the comfort and warmth that it offers.
And if you’re finding that you are struggling no matter what the weather then perhaps it’s time for a change of wardrobe. Throw out some of your old habits and beliefs and update them with something more useful.
A simple conversation can be the start of being able to enjoy all the seasons by being more prepared for the situations we know may arise – in all aspects of our lives (including clothing).
* I believe that the original quote is, “There’s no such thing as bad weather, only unsuitable clothing.” by Alfred Wainwright.
** This, of course, has nothing to do with wanting to ‘look good’ rather than dressing practically.
Recent Comments