How are you?
No, really, HOW are you?
Is your life force bursting from your veins? Feeling flat-line energy flow? What is your qi (chi) today?
Not sure what the hell I’m talking about? Let me explain…
I’m on holiday. That means I relax in the evenings and enjoy a drink (or 2).
Tonight in the hotel bar the barman was nervous. He was gittery, edgy and getting in a state over unimportant things that didn’t matter.
He was actually doing a good job, coping on his own in a busy environment. He was polite, and efficient despite not having any help from any one else due to a wedding taking place in the hotel the same day, but he made me uncomfortable.
He had a nervous energy about him that filled the air and surrounded those in the vicinity.
His voice was (relatively speaking) high pitched. His words were rushed. His breath was short and rapid. His movements were quick and stiff. His throat was tense.
He was not relaxed or comfortable and anyone in his presence could tell.
I felt sorry for him. I offered some words of encouragement to put him at ease, but the impact was minimal.
He was unaware of his ‘qi’. His life force. His being, and the impact this was having on those around him.
That got me thinking. What is my qi? What has my energy flow been like today? How has my mood affected those around me? How tense was my throat when I spoke?
What about when I’m at work? What vibe did I give off in that meeting last week?
How did I come across to my boss when they asked me an important question the other day?
What about you? What industry are you in?
Are you providing a service where you are in front of Joe public? What energy are you sharing with them?
Are you based in an office where it’s just you and your colleagues? Do you make them relaxed or more stressed with your essence?
Do you spend a lot of time on the phone? Is your voice tense or calm? Is your breath rushed or relaxed?
How you are, today, right now, is having an impact on those around you. Moods are catching. Energy is transferable.
Are you on the train on the way to work? Are you up tight and twitchy, or steady and chilled? The person next to you could tell you. And probably the beardy bloke opposite and the cute girl along the carriage.
Ever been in the presence of someone you’ve never met but who instantly puts you on edge?
You may have come across others who simply put you at ease, without even needing to talk.
You may be having these impacts too through the energy and presence you are carrying with you right now.
Look around you at other people, at their faces, at their bodies, almost instantly you will get an idea of their presence. Of how they are.
Imagine you are a radio antenna passing signals through the air. What messages are you transmitting?
An interesting point to note is that regardless of what qi you want to transmit, you can’t fake it (unless you’re an Oscar winning actor/actress), so don’t try to.
In emails it’s easy to disguise your feelings, but in person and on the phone most of us can’t show genuine enthusiasm for a project we don’t believe in, no matter how hard we try. Whilst our mouths can lie, our body and our being rarely can.
So just be who you are and how you are, but give yourself a moment to notice it.
Give yourself a few moments throughout the day to notice it. Observe it in others.
You might just be surprised at what it reveals.
