Traveling with a group of clients to a conference one Sunday morning, it seemed that nothing was going right. One member of our party thought she had booked a ticket on our flight – she hadn’t and didn’t realize it until about 12 hours before departure. The multi-pound box of conference swag didn’t arrive in time to be shipped to the venue and had to be hand carried on board the multi-stop journey to our final destination. The leader of the team, Corey, thought he had booked a rental car that could accommodate at least six passengers… if he did book it, the reservation was nowhere to be found. It was tense moment.
Once we arrived in our destination city, everyone got their luggage – no delays there – and then we trekked through the airport to the rental car facility only to discover the line to sign the rental agreement and pick up the keys was staffed by just one person who, despite his diligence and focus, was overwhelmed by a queue of more than a dozen travel weary customers. Harrumph.
There were four of us… we were picking up the fifth passenger who arrived from another city at curbside on our way out of the airport. While Corey patiently stood in line, Alisa, Tim and I visited with one another in the rental car facility lobby. We looked over at Corey and realized, after 20 minutes, that he had made no forward progress in the line. Still, undeterred, he looked back at us with a bright-eyed smile and waved!
That’s when Alisa said, “You know, that’s the thing about Corey. Even in tough situations, he’s cool and collected. Plus, his resting face is a smile.”
His resting face is a smile? Indeed, it is!
Now, c’mon, I know you know someone with “RBF” (forgive me… just to spell it out… it stands for “resting bitch face”) – that is, a person who unconsciously dons a sullen scowl even in the happiest of times, right? What if we turned that frown upside down?
Friends, especially during challenging times, when we don a smile, surround ourselves with positivity, and consciously cultivate an attitude of gratitude, great things happen! Seeing the good in any given situation is a choice that empowers us to navigate through difficulties with grace and resilience. It is up to each of us to consciously choose to radiate happiness and uplift others along the way. Cheesy as it may be, remember a smile not only brightens your own world but also has the power to bring light to the lives of those around you.
So, with appreciation to Corey, be mindful of the message your resting face is sending to the world. Consciously work to let the light shine through and spread positivity even during times of adversity.
Happy Networking!
P.S. – Corey had, in fact, booked that rental car. When he did finally make it up to the reservation desk, they had two bookings for him! He selected the biggest car at the best value… it was a win for one and all!