:: In Praise Of Chirpy Peeps

I’m chirpy!

Did you know that? Perhaps you did. I’m less the glass half full type and more the ‘How ace! A nice glass with refreshing stuff in it! Rad!’ sort. I’m the sunny side of the street. I’m the silver lining. I’m almost always looking for the good.  I can’t help but be that way.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not really the blanket, blind affirmation type –> ‘You are smart and fun and amazingly beautiful, Pip!’ That feels a bit bullsh*tty to me.

I’m more the truthful, factual affirmation type –> ‘Your nails are nice and strong today, Pip!’ or ‘Your hair is messy in quite a nice way, Pip!’

If the waiter takes forever to take my order I’ll be glad of the time to Instagram my surrounds. If my friend leaves her Customs Declaration form on the plane and we have to divert to the line for trickier people at the airport, I’ll be glad of the experience (because I’ll know what happens there next time and it’s nowhere near as scary as on ‘Border Security’ on TV!) I know, right? But that’s just me. Chirp!

I know a few other people like me, people who are very BRIGHT a lot of the time and prefer to navigate life with a chipper attitude rather than the more widely adopted cynicism or wariness or flat-lining approach. It’s pretty nice when I bump into them (hello Rowe!) I feel less like a bonkers alien and more like a special exhibit! Phew. Chirp!

Chirpy types are often underestimated by those who are less-than-‘yay!’ Some assume that their sunny ‘tude is proof of a surface-dwelling, naive or even less-than-bright make-up. This is usually not true. Chirpy people are often super-sensitive, yet practical. They know that finding realistic but positive ways through the day-to-day is not only a test, it’s an awesome mind-bending, mind-set exercise. They (and by that I also mean I!) give their thought processes a nice workout on a very regular basis, finding the good, revealing or enlightening bits and using those as a lens for better days.

While the chirpers rarely underestimate themselves, they’re pretty at peace with the fact that others might. They’re happy enough within themselves to push on merrily and not give it a lot of thought. They try hard not to dwell on that bits that aren’t helpful, you know? Sometimes, the chirpers tone themselves down for other people, knowing that their chirp can be mistaken for false positivity, dopey-ness or a lack of depth. That’s a shame for the chirpers and the chirped at, because the chirpers are often very observant and quite insightful, if you just get to know them a titch.

Perhaps you have some chirpy people in your life? Perhaps you don’t really give them  the time of day or assume they are superficial or a bit air-heady? I bet that if you did take some time with the chirp, you could learn a whole bunch from them about balancing real life with a smiley default. Chirpers can also teach you really good stuff about being silly (which is a totally underestimated rad thing!)

To the chirpers: I salute you!
To the chirped at: Lend us your ears!

Chirp on, smiley, chipper types!  Are you chirpy?

x pip

PS: Chirp!