I tend to believe the truism, “There’s no bad weather, only unsuitable clothing.”
Many times I’ve found myself in the middle of storms, walking through ice-glazed landscapes, slogging along humid paths and beaches, and my enjoyment or misery will be directly correlated to what I’m wearing, or in some cases how I’m otherwise prepared for that scenario.
With a waterproof jacket, hood, and boots the rain and wind are not just tolerable, but maybe even invigorating.
Properly bundled and layered, the ice and snow and biting cold are brisk and satisfying companions, not skin-shattering, jaw-juddering antagonists.
Sticky, sultry humidity becomes relaxing and restorative when suitably light, breathable, maybe even scanty clothing is draped or donned.
The right combination of gloves or sunscreen or sunglasses or a wide-brimmed hat or scarves or lotion or breathable but effective masks can convert a trying, uncomfortable, even risky scenario into something palatable or pleasant.
We all differ in our preferences and predispositions, so some of us will need more layers than others to tolerate wintery weather, while others (myself included) will require more shade and sunscreen and the breeziest of garments if soupy, shirt-soddening tropical temperatures are going to be anything but miserable.
The same applies to others aspects of life, I think.
Uncertainty is undesirable for most of us, most of the time, but having stabilizing infrastructure in place—economic, interpersonal, psychological, physical—can make it more tolerable and even somewhat enjoyable, in some cases, through some lenses.
Likewise, a deluge of seemingly unintelligible information and narratives cascading into our lives each day can be stressful and bothersome, but the more we know about more things, and the more we’re able to connect those things to other things, the greater our capacity to imbue ominous or confounding information with nervousness-neutralizing meaning.
Our capacity to understand what’s happening in the world around us can help us filter the emotionally manipulative commentaries from the meaningful data points, which in turn can help us avoid or annul anxiety-inducing agitations that would otherwise taint our informational diets.
By investing in our health, understanding, and the spaces we occupy we’re outfitting ourselves with the optimal attire to recognize and harmonize with the variables influencing our lives.
None of which necessarily changes those variables: that’s an entirely different type of (equally important) effort.
This is more about ensuring we’re wearing the right coat, the right sunscreen and mittens so that we don’t freeze or burn or get drenched to the bone in the meantime.
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