Develop a Quokka Attitude

Occasionally somebody will come up to me and ask if I am ok. Or say something like, “don’t worry it will probably never happen”.

What the heck are they talking about?

Apparently, my face can sometimes fall into the shape of someone who is bearing the troubles of the world. And then the well-meaning comment comes along. It usually happens if I am concentrating on something and my face forgets to tell everyone I am doing alright.

Has that ever happened to you?

… and the world smiles with you

Quokkas are well known to us folks in Western Australia. They are adorable creatures, about the size of a month-old kitten or small cat.

What makes them so adorable?

They look like they are smiling. Whether or not they are actually happy, their facial expression has shaped how the world sees them.

When early Dutch explorers mistook them for giant rats, they named their home "Rat's Nest Island," which is now known as Rottnest Island. But quokkas are actually marsupials and their ‘smiles’ are the shape their mouths need to form in order to pant and regulate their body temperature in the hot Australian sun.

But I prefer to believe they are just having a really great day.

The real deal

I may not always be able to control what my face is doing (and nobody likes a forced smile), but perhaps I can have some influence over something else—my attitude.

The Quokka’s ‘smile’ feels like she is happy to see you. Local TV ads have created quokka characters as warm, friendly, slightly cheeky and with a great sense of humour.

And the characters feel genuine. Like you wish you had one as a friend.

(I really wish I had one as a friend)

I once interviewed a young man for a position on staff at a church. His resumé was promising, and he presented himself well at the start of the interview. But, as we proceeded, a few carefully chosen questions led him to become quite critical of his current workplace. Critical of people. Critical of decisions his boss made. To the point where I began to wonder, ‘if I employ this guy, what will he be saying to others about us after a year or so’?

He wasn’t happy when I told him that he didn’t get the job.

On hindsight, I think he had some legitimate concerns about the place he was at, but his attitude seemed to favour falling into criticism rather than looking for solutions.

Perhaps that helps us to define what a good attitude is. Maybe it is something that helps us to pause before jumping to negative conclusions. Before assuming someone is just being difficult or selfish. Perhaps it reminds us that there may be a story we haven't heard yet, a pressure we can't see, or a reason behind the decision we don't like. A good attitude doesn't ignore real issues—it simply gives people the benefit of the doubt before passing judgement.

A good attitude chooses to believe the best, instead of assuming the worst.

Just as the quokka’s smile has shaped how the world sees them, your attitude probably shapes the way people see you.

Your attitude says more about you than you realise.

……….

Looking for more practical ways to apply these ideas?

Explore the Animal Instincts guided journals and resources.

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