Life.Simple.Perspective

And I didn’t like what I saw.

Not the kind of selfie that we see on social media but a selfie of my heart and attitude…a little personal inventory.  Both have been a bit funky lately and I realized that I’m not myself without a Snickers bar…not literally…the commercial.

What happened to that warm, congenial person that I used to be; that person who exuded sunshine and positivity everywhere I went?  Some days I hardly even recognize myself.  Instead I see someone who lacks patience, someone who is frequently frustrated and who doesn’t want to be bothered at times; someone who responds in kind to rudeness.  I hate to admit it but this “me first”, age of entitlement society we’re living in is getting the best of me!  Some days I feel like that feisty little old lady who sits in her rocking chair on the front porch waving her cane while giving someone a piece of her mind. 

Here are a few things that really get my goat…in fact I’ve allowed them to steal my identity.

Working on the front lines with the public everyday can wear you out…especially in a high volume call center…it’s that simple!  Some callers have taken multi-tasking to a whole new level.  Today it’s totally “acceptable” while conducting business on the phone to simultaneously disengage from the conversation to chat with others, to “pause” the conversation and place a drive-thru food order, to shop, to attend noisy sporting events and whatever else the caller decides to do at that particular moment…total rudeness…like my time doesn’t matter!   Another pet peeve is when the information needed to conduct business is in the caller’s phone but it can’t be accessed because they’re talking on the phone!  Call me ol’ fashioned but somehow these things all seem disrespectful to me.  Voicemail…does anyone listen to it any more or is this an antiquated means of communicating?  I’m just trying to keep up with the times here!

Customer service…whatever happened to polite and eager to assist store clerks and customer service reps (including myself at times)?  Do they only work at Chick-fil-A?  Does the “golden rule” of business still apply today…the one that says the customer is “always” right?  Unfortunately it does…but there’s a “revised” version…

Driving…I can’t seem to drive on the highway for five minutes anymore without cursing the other drivers for their excessive speed, careless maneuvers and distracted driving.  Doesn’t anyone use turn signals anymore?  What about the “defensive” driving that we learned about in driver’s education?  All I want to do is get from point A to point B without losing my life or limbs.

Distracted parents…It’s so annoying when distracted parents don’t recognize when their children are in harm’s way because they’re too busy looking at or talking on their phones to notice. What ever happened to holding a little one’s hand when crossing the street or walking through a busy parking lot?

And finally the workplace…is professional etiquette, accountability, respect for colleagues and constructive communication a thing of the past?   

Yep, I can hardly get my head around our “new normal” and I’ve always considered myself to be a pretty openminded and progressive thinker.  But enough belly-aching for now…It’s time to rise up out of my rocking chair and stop spewing poisonous venom into the air. 

Self awareness is important…it’s good to check ourselves every now and then and to recognize when we’ve succumbed to sloppy habits and stinking thinking. Yes our world is changing; but at the end of the day we are only responsible for ourselves and our little piece of it.  With that being said, I think I’ll have that Snickers bar now… 

So what gets your goat?  Please leave a comment and I’ll send you a “free” bag of Snickers to help you get over yourself.