Mar 04 2009
Mean People Suck
I have been reading a lot of motivational stuff lately. I am currently working on a book by Joel Osteen about creating a better life for oneself. I usually read these books, and get all introspective, and try to find ways to apply some of the learnings from the book to my own life. While I am doing that with this book, too, I am finding that I am unwittingly becoming more sensitive to the behavior of other people who could probably benefit more from this book than me.
I was up late one night, not able to sleep, and Joel Osteen was on, preaching to his Houston congregation. I am not a particularly religious person, but I do watch Joel if I catch him on. He’s a good speaker, and most of what he says makes sense to me. I think I was meant to hear this sermon. He talked about picking our battles, about how sometimes people need to learn to walk away from fights, arguments, and conflict if the spoils aren’t particularly great, and aren’t going to help you reach your ultimate goal. The reasoning was that by the time you are done fighting all of the little battles, you won’t have anything in you left to fight the battles that you really should be fighting. It made a lot of sense to me.
So, I bought his book.
It is all basic “do unto others…” type common sense, but it amazes me how many people still just don’t get it.
Sunday afternoon at a grocery store, a woman was trying to entice me into an altercation. I will spare you the details, but it had to do with girl scout cookies, and there were children present. I found her extremely rude, and all of the blah blah blah coming out of her mouth was exhausting, so I turned and walked away, and that made me feel GOOD. Nevermind that I think that her vajayjay is pro’ly lined with ice, and she hasn’t gotten any from her husband or anyone else in months, and that I believe that her own mother probably hates her and her kids are probably embarrassed to have their friends over—just thinking all of that, without verbalizing any of it, and going on my merry way, made me so very happy and like I was in control of the situation.
You all should know by now how much I like control.
This situation more about perspective, though. I wasn’t going to fight over some girl scout cookies. I mean, for reals…girl scout cookies. I think that being controlled and keeping things in perspective is exactly what Osteen was getting at.
I am applying this to my work life, and it seems to be working. Yes, the boss is still riding me about things that are inconsequential. Yes, she thinks that the team should work through lunches and stay later on top of getting no raises this year. What I have learned is that I cannot change any of her craziness. What I can affect is how I react to her, and I have found that this is the key my staying sane from day to day.
Don’t fuck with the kinder, gentler Tracy.
