So here we are, mid January, 2019.
A coat of grey clouds, perpetually looms above, we get up – it’s dark, we go home – it’s dark.
The twinkle of the festive season has left the lining of the streets and we are left with that slight vacant feeling within. This grim outlook can affect the mood of many of us at this time of year, however, for some, it can seem worse than others.
A relatively small example of this, I experienced myself just this morning. I looked in the mirror as I got ready for the day and while combing my hair, I notice something different – a long silvery line protruding up and out of my scalp and running down between the bristles of my brush..
..The first grey hair of my late twenties!!
Almost instantly, I saw my youth flashing before my eyes – as if it were now a thing of the past. It’s all over.
On my commute to work, I gaze out the train window and the Spotify “Relaxing Deep House” playlist is in full rhythm and I see the shimmery light pink hue of morning sunlight peering through the clouds in the distance and I think to myself, “Things might not be so bad today”.
It’s amazing how even a little ray of light can change your perspective in an instant.
I began thinking about how I can add this “light” to my grey hair dilemma. Ageing isn’t all about lost youth – it means maturing, developing, understanding and ultimately knowing better.
I was fortunate enough to have had the most amazing time in my early twenties, graduating from University and joining one of the world’s best airlines as cabin crew. I was paid to travel the world, staying in five star luxury hotels along the way.
I had the chance to experience life to the fullest, jumping off cliffs and hang gliding over Rio de Janeiro, diving with sharks in South Africa, climbing The Great Wall of China and everything in between.
I did and saw it all. and not to sound ungrateful for these experiences – but it is a lot to leave behind!
I began thinking about all that I have learned from these experiences and how they have shaped my growth, increased my cultural awareness, communication skills, empathy, understanding and patience levels (a solid requirement for any airline employee is to know the value of patience!).
All of this deep thought really allowed me to see “The Silver Lining” in my new silver line of hair.
This new stripe is a reminder of hard work, late nights, long hours and lessons learned. It also highlights a new chapter of maturity and progression.
I made the choice to return to Ireland, to pursue my career as a PR and marketing professional, something which I had always wanted to do.
Furthermore, this got me thinking about “reactions” and how often at times, we can be quick to formulate an immediate negative response to the unexpected. An initial reaction can be an exacerbated version of how one would usually react, given the time to digest or dwell on the information presented.
This is something we all should practice – when life throws us a curve-ball, which it often does, take a deep breath, reflect and turn your attention to finding the silver lining as there is always positive to come from negative.
Keeping a positive outlook is important for general life as well as in business when the unexpected occurs.
A first step or an approach could be taking a look at the core values and assets that you have, pausing and thinking about how you can utilise these to your advantage and to create more positive awareness for your personal situation or brand.
This can open new areas of possibility, which may not have come to light had the unexpected not occurred.
Ultimately, knowing the existence, value and importance of a “The Silver Lining” is what will help shine through on these dark January days, when it may seem the clouds will never shift – but just like with the seasons, there will always be new light.
Suzanne
