There are so many personalities and they are variable. Some people even have more than one or two. They may change their personality to match their whereabouts. Some folks however have only one personality, and it remains the same most of the time.
Time of day may influence personalities: some people start the day with one personality and end it with another. Some always start the day with the same personality day in and day out, but others try to actually fit their mood to the one they awake with.
I’ve observed these traits in people around me. One such person, a friend who lives nearby, wakes up and makes a list of what he hopes to accomplish in the coming day. Since he usually starts the day in a jovial mood, many people gather around him to hear at least one of his many stories. This person is a retired New York firefighter. Once he begins his day, his happy personality is on display all day and is often infectious.
Other people may start the day with a sharp, snappy personality, especially if they know they must follow directions they did not set. They may be quiet, not jovial like my fireman friend, and attempt to prove they do not need directives. This type of personality often offends those around them and they turn away.
My wife and I have a favorite dining place that we enjoy on Sunday for brunch. When we enter we are greeted by a hostess, a lovely young women with a brilliant smile, who shows us to our table. We always request the same waiter who is the brother of the hostess. He arrives at our table and continues the warm greeting with a handshake for me and hug for my wife. This sets the tone for a very relaxing meal. A little soft jazz out on a platform overlooking a waterway adds great appeal to the experience. I know of no better way to start a day than being surrounded by people who want to make it a great day for me. Obviously, they are very happy personalities who enjoy their work.
Our highways display driver personalities that are rarely happy. Rush hours are the worst: every driver believes it’s all right for them to cut in and out of traffic because they are running late. Just a short period of time in this circumstance can change anyone’s personality! As I encounter it, I wish I was driving a Hummer with a cannon mounted on the hood with tire slashers alongside. There are stretches of highway in South Florida where law enforcement refuse to attempt to do road patrols because of the high risk.
There is a sad consequence for all of us once we escape from the terror of rush hour traffic and attempt to deal with our destination objective. We may face a person who has also just arrived off the road. Both of us are not displaying our “happy” personalities: we are crabby. A better plan may be to wait, grab a coffee and relax before we attempt any encounters after leaving the traffic zone.
It takes an effort to change a frown to a smile, a harsh tone to a pleasant, soft one but it can make a difference for the rest of your day. As I see it, those you meet will be glad you did the attitude adjustment for sure.