Find the fun; it's in you ;)

Several years ago, while on a visit to Kaduna with my mum, I saw what I considered to be a very strange and rather interesting sight. A road traffic warden was dancing while conducting the traffic! I could not believe my eyes! I hurriedly pointed at him yelling “mummy see!” and my mother just laughed. If you do not live in Nigeria, you would likely not understand. Here, traffic lights don’t really exist. In places where they exist, they are mostly for decoration but that’s not the point of this article so let’s not digress.
The traffic wardens are essentially the ones responsible for conducting traffic and directing vehicles on the road. Quite a job I must say especially on extremely busy roads. Little wonder most of the traffic wardens we see are usually angry, sour-faced individuals. They have to stand under the sun on extremely hot and sunny days and out in the cold during the terrible harmattan (God help you if you’re in the core north at a time like that) conducting traffic. It’s not the easiest of jobs and so I usually do not blame them.

I mean, I’d probably have an angrier look on my face if I had to handle something like this…

And as though it isn’t bad enough, Nigerian drivers have proven to be crazy and they can actually frustrate you! I have seen a warden stop a car, the guy was still a bit far off but he kept coming at top speed and went on past the warden, waving to him as he did so. I just laughed and shook my head. That was a pretty stupid thing he had done because it could have actually caused an accident but thankfully it didn’t.
Now here’s what inspired this article. Last week, on my way to Central Bank, I spotted one of such “happy” Wardens at a particular junction. She looked so excited doing her job you would think she was being filmed. She marched up and down, did funny little dances and had a smile on her face despite the intensity of the sun and even I who was having a stressful day was forced to smile. I mean, the irony of it all! I’d been in an air conditioned office all morning and left the office for an air-conditioned car and yet someone who had been under the scorching sun the entire day would beat me in “cheerful”contest! There’s another man like that. I think he’s at zone 4 or 5. But he always looks pretty excited no matter the time of day and he would be doing funny dances and hand movements.

Here’s the point of my little story. You have absolutely got to find the fun in whatever it is you’re doing otherwise you’ll find yourself utterly and completely frustrated. It doesn’t matter what you’re doing or whether you want to do it, simply find the fun in it. Where I work, there’s usually so much to do and if one isn’t careful, you’d find yourself carrying a grouchy face all day long but I’ve learned to find the fun in whatever I do. So regardless of how stressful my day might be going, I don’t lose my smile. It’s the reason one of my bosses called me once and said “It’s like you really enjoy your job; you’re always smiling.” My reply to that was “I’m a happy child!” 😀
One basic truth in life, as we go through every single day, there’ll be people who will get on your nerves and literally drive you up the wall. There’ll also be the ones that will be so stupid, you’ll want to shoot yourself on their behalf, or even shoot them. Then there’ll be the ones who you’ll envy because they’re seemingly in a better off position than yourself… Just deal with it and learn to find the fun in whatever you do.
Finally, here’s my advice, stay positive; find the fun in everything you do. And anytime you want to get frustrated, remember that there’s someone who’s in a worse position than you are. I’m not saying gloat over the worse conditions of other people, but simply find a reason to keep your joy. It’s definitely in you! 😉

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