I was commuting into London one day last week, we were just about to arrive at our final stop – we could even see the station – when the train slowed down and then stopped.
And there we stayed for the next 5 minutes before finally being told we had to divert to a different station.
As always, I had planned my journey to factor in enough time for any delays and to give myself plenty of time. I stayed calm during the delay and observed with interest at the range of emotions and behaviors displayed by my fellow commuters.
It struck me in that moment how our separate realities were being played out and yet every one of us had one thing in common – we were all on the same journey, all going in the same direction.
Or were we……?
It was clear we were heading in the same direction of travel – but it became apparent to me that the internal journey for each of us was completely different.
Some people were clearly anxious, distraught even. Others had to clearly state their anger at such a delay while several people just seemed resigned to their fate.
All of us on the same train journey yet all having an entirely different experience of it.
Life will always throw you curveballs; sometimes you cannot change what happens next. What you can do is learn to deal with events with grace and less distress.
I could not change what happened that morning and getting annoyed and upset wasn’t going to change anything. Of course, when I knew we were delayed I didn’t punch the air with delight – but neither did I choose to go into meltdown like many of my fellow commuters seemed to be doing.
You can choose how you react to events. Of course, sometimes emotions such as sadness and anger are entirely appropriate. Yet more and more I notice how people display extreme emotion in circumstances that do not really warrant it.
Unfortunately, train delays are becoming the norm for commuters. So with this in mind, isn’t it worth getting your emotions in check, ensuring you always have enough time and not acting like it is the end of the world?
Knowing you can manage your morning commute with ease, just think how you could manage the rest of your life!