I have to smile a bit as I type this, because there is a lot of cliché in this sentence: But yes, we Germans love to complain. Most of all about the weather.
I try not to complain all the time, but of course I can’t quite manage it. Sometimes you just have to complain about the weather for a moment. And hallelujah, we’ve had some bad luck with travel weather so far this year.
There was January in Portugal with two weeks of constant rain. February in London, also gray and wet. And then there were various photography projects in Germany and Austria, where rain seemed to be an uninvited permanent guest.
But (and this is actually what we’re talking about today) there was also the exact opposite.
We were recently in South Tyrol for a spring photo production. The weather forecast looked anything but promising. We had planned two full days of production and were quite worried about the sunny, light atmosphere that we so urgently needed for the desired motifs.
Long story short: In the end we had enough of two days of sun. We were able to photograph the most beautiful spring-like motifs, including ice in the sun, golden light and exactly the lightness we were hoping for. And less than half an hour after the last motif, the worst sleet imaginable began. What luck we had with the weather!
It was even more beautiful in Menorca last week. At first we were unsure whether April was really the right time to travel to the island. Menorca’s climate is strongly influenced by winds, and unlike Mallorca, it can quickly become a little cooler and uncomfortable there – especially in spring.
It turned out: We had a week of summer weather. Several people on site told us that it currently feels more like June than April. How lucky we were!
And that was exactly something that I consciously said out loud every day. Because I believe that this is just as important (no, more important!) than complaining when something doesn’t work.
We are often very good at naming bad luck straight away. We share bad experiences quickly. When something goes wrong, we usually formulate it crystal clear and without hesitation.
But how often do we actually say just as consciously: Wow, that’s really really good right now. What luck! How beautiful is that please?
Don’t just complain when it rains. Both figuratively and literally. But also celebrate when the sun shines. You’ve noticed: I’m no longer just talking about the weather.
It’s about all areas of life. Don’t just write the negative review if something went badly, but also leave the positive review if something was really good. Appreciate when things work. Notice when something succeeds. Be aware of when you are just lucky. When something not only goes well, but so much better than expected.
In our society we often name negative things immediately. Happiness, on the other hand, is far too easy for us to take for granted. It deserves at least as much attention. Not to put an artificial positive spin on everything or to downplay difficulties. But simply so as not to lose balance.
Because sometimes we are unlucky. And sometimes we are just incredibly lucky. With the weather, with encounters, with timing, with small and large things that come together at exactly the right moment. By the way, a fitting reading tip at this point: A big piece of luck
We usually talk loud enough about bad luck. And it’s high time to give happiness a little more space.
