Ada+T’s+2016+OpEd+Article

Body Language and Attitude



Two complete strangers happen to bump into each other in the crowded walkway of the local beach boardwalk. Two teenage girls. They are the same age and both unknowingly have a lot in common with the other. The consequences of this scenario can go very differently depending on how different factors are played out. Body language and attitude.

Scenario 1:
Girl #1 was walking along the beach with headphones in her ears listening to the delightful sounds of her favorite song as she began to feel a sense of bliss. Girl #2 carelessly trotting her way through the ocean of people, hurries her way home in excitement because she had just recently bought concert tickets to see The Who in live concert. Suddenly the two girls were both pushed into each other by the massive force of the people surrounding them. Both girls politely apologize with a nervous laugh and a smile. Girl #2 takes responsibility for the tumble saying that she was in a rush and that she was distracted by the excitement of her new concert tickets to see The Who. With a big grin on her face and her arms flinging in the air with excitement Girl #1 silently screamed about how much she loved that band and how she had just been listening to them on her ipod. Surprised by their shared love for The Who, both girls begin conversing about the band and all the various songs that they enjoy. Standing up straight, using different hand gestures, and making funny facial expressions, the girls find out so much more about each other and begin to realize that they share a lot in common and that they enjoy being in the company of one another. They both go home that night filled with happiness and laughter. The girls had become good friends.

Scenario 2:
Girl #1 was walking along the beach with headphones in her ears listening to the delightful sounds of her favorite song as she began to feel a sense of bliss. Girl #2 is trudging her way through the crowded walkway with a scornful look on her face. She had just been given the news that concert tickets to her favorite band, The Who, had been sold out. She wasn’t able to buy her own ticket on time and she was letting her emotions take control of her. Suddenly the two girls were both pushed into each other by the massive force of the people surrounding them. Girl #1 politely apologizes with a nervous laugh and a smile, while Girl #2 frowns and remarks, “Get out of my way loser.” Taken back by this rude comment, Girl #1 also frowns and her happy mood suddenly turns sour. Both girls then engage in a full blown bitch fit, consisting of yelling and profanity. With arms crossed, fists clenched, and eyebrows pointed down, the two girls continue to put each other down. Girl #2 tells Girl #1 that with ugly headphones like those she surely must listen to trashy music. Girl #1 barks back to Girl #2 saying that with a bad attitude like that she surely must have no friends. The two girls eventually continue on their own way, in very bad moods. Neither of them knew how similar they were to each other and how they shared so many things in common. Neither of them ever found that out.

Yes, both these stories are slightly exaggerated. But you have had one of these days before…

when one of these scenarios had happened…

and you were either Girl #1 or Girl #2.

Your attitude can vary by day (or even for some, by hour), but you always need to remember that you can control your attitude. You certainly cannot control your emotions, but you can choose to not be overcome by them. You can choose the actions that you make and you can choose your reactions to things that happen in your life. Everyday the actions you make can, and will, affect the lives of others around you. Your body language is reflective of your attitude. Good body language is a turn on, and bad body language is a turn off. People will react to you and judge you by the attitude that you have and the body language you display. So even if you are in the worst of moods, always try to remain positive and have good body language. Nobody wants to have their joyful, carefree day to be ruined by your selfish, rude, or annoying attitude. And you shouldn’t want to be the person to ruin the fun for somebody else. Don’t be THAT person!