Do you like to whistle, or do you know a whistler? It seems to be a dying art and not a sound many people create openly these days. Certainly not younger people. We all know seniors who can whistle a happy tune when their favourite song comes on the radio, or when they’re in the shower or garden — it’s a joyful thing to do for those who can, and to experience an excellent whistler’s skills is a delight for the avid listener.
We recently discovered that one of our team at Place Property, Jesse Sherring, is an incredible whistler. He has been whistling all his life — he remembers being in Grade Four when he learned to whistle loudly from his father. Jesse practised for six months on his way home from school to impress a girl in his class, but alas for him, it didn’t win him her favour. He did, however, create a lifelong skill for himself, that makes him happy, comes in handy when rounding up people, and when he needs to call for silence at auctions!
One of his favourite songs to whistle is Twisted Nerve by Bernard Herrmann, which was famously performed in the movie, Kill Bill, a song his partner has also danced to as an ice-skater. Search it up and I’ll bet you try to whistle it for the rest of the day!
When asked why he loves to whistle, Jesse struggled to find a response… “How do I answer that? You might as well ask me why I like to breathe. All I know is that I’ve never met an unhappy whistler…”
And happy he is! One of the reasons for his success as an agent is his effervescent smile, and genuinely sunny outlook.
Not everyone around a whistler enjoys hearing them, however, but that’s perfectly okay here at Place Property Paddington, because we spend a lot of time by ourselves, driving to appointments and working quietly at properties making them just right for Open Homes. Jesse can whistle while he works, and for those lucky enough to hear him, they might mistake his tunes for that of a songbird.
Work/life balance is partly about bringing your passions with you wherever you go… they can help us to perform more effectively, and be our true selves, which in turn leads to authentic relationships and a happier workplace. It’s also about open communication, compromise and the ability to have some fun at work!
So now you’re thinking about it, go and whistle a happy tune for the rest of the day!