Environmental Emotions

The whole nation is presently gripped in a cold spell, an experience that those of us who live in Minnesota are more accustomed. I love catching the tweets of friends who live in the south and are living in fear of freezing temps and an inch of snow. A prolonged season of this type of weather often will put you in jeopardy of what we know in the north as "seasonal depression", a condition caused by prolonged sun deprivation. My question is: Isn't it possible that environmental conditions outside of weather affect people's ability to navigate life?

As a leader, can you recognize it when your emotions are more dictated by the environment around you?  When you put on your "helmet" of leadership, you need to understand your own vulnerability to being affected by relationships, physically & emotionally draining conditions and a myriad of other common life factors. The question isn't IF you'll experience environmental influence on your emotional fortitude, but instead HOW you'll handle it. Everyone has a list of experiences for this dynamic...what's yours?

I think its also incumbant for those of us who work with young people to understand that the behavior of the kids we serve is often formed in the incubator of family dysfunction. The constant "cold" of life experiences that some of today's adolescents experience can result in collapsing any hope that young people have.  Our work must result in creating a different environment where young men and women receive the restorative warmth of leadership that believes in them and sees a future that transcends the moment.