Yesterday was just another rainy day in Portland, or was it?

Each week I take the bus downtown. This is a great way to meet people and get out of the office for a small adventure. Typically I walk around downtown, go to a bookstore, eat at some little amazing whole in the wall diner, and talk to a myriad of people. Sometimes I 'people watch'. More often than not people are shuffling around getting from point 'A' to point 'B'. Most people hardly make eye contact and rarely smile, even when you smile at them.

Thursday December 9th was an especially wet day. As they say here in Portland it was coming down in buckets. I noticed something. People were smiling in the rain.

I watched as a young executive type bounded over a stream of water moving down the street. He smiled with triumph. An older woman, dressed in a dark traditional suit ran into a coffee shop with a hardy laugh. I can only guess what her momentary loss of control was about. All day long people forgot their troubles as they found ways to overcome the prospect of becoming drenched.

In 2009, I attended a workshop with Erick Rainey. Erick specializes in NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming.) A key point he made that day was about walking 40% faster. When you walk, your body produces endorphins. Endorphins produce a feeling of wellbeing. The faster you walk the more oxygen your body takes in, your heart will beat faster and you'll breathe deeper. Short sprints can help you feel better in the moment.

It was fun to be one of those sprinters. Even on a rainy day we can find our joy.

On the way home I sat next to an older woman. She was smiling. She asked me how I fared the rain today. I said, "I had a blast, I took a puddle walk". She laughed and said, "I love puddle walks. At 72, I still love to put on my best rain boots and rain pants and jump in the middle of great big puddles. It's a sign of being a true Oregonian. We love the rain for the joy it brings."

That statement stayed with me the rest of the day. Puddle walking is fun. I highly recommend it to you if the rain is getting you down. Go play!