Many times I have been subject to being told I wear rose- colored glasses. My thought is that some perceive my largely positive outlook to be more of an uninformed Pollyana- type mentality . Often when people talk to me and get to know me better they then realize I am not ignorant, poorly educated or insufficient in gray matter. I am simply put, a glass half full kind of gal. I almost always look to find the positive in things, be it a person's best attribute, a lesson learned from a bad experience, how it could have been worse, I just gravitate towards positive. I know many who come into contact me do not feel this to be a realistic way to experience life. However, I flat out disagree and know that for most of my adult life this is what keeps me sane, grounded and mostly satisfied with life and the way things are. This is my realism, my way of coping and what works for ME. I know this does not work for everyone, we all need to adapt our responses and attitudes to what works for us in our lives. It is my mantra to live and let live. much of the time. If I see someone struggling with their life, I often try to empathize with them and help them analyze what THEY might need to do. What works for me may not work for them, and vice verse of course. That being said, there are situations and individuals I avoid mostly because I know that we will never be able to agree, and interactions with them are akin to petting a cat in the wrong direction. This is a cynical as I get.
Avoiding intolerant individuals and situations is something I like to do whenever and wherever possible. Certainly there are times and places we just have to buck up and enter such situations or deal with abrasive people when we have no choice. Working in the customer service industry these days, I certainly find myself on the receiving end of abrasive people from time to time, but I pride myself on most always being able to turn that same situation around, ending my call with them feeling better and me knowing I have been able to solve a situation or get them the assistance or what-have-you they require at this moment in time. In customer service land and in real life, there are some individuals you will never be able to satisfy no matter what hurdles you jump over trying. No matter what you try to do, they are still disgruntled and just cannot let go of their hostility, negativity and cynicism. In such matters, I still do my very best, whether in real life or through the phone line. I can release myself from responsibility knowing I have done my utmost to assist, but know that there is no winning with these individuals. I let it go, mentally cleanse the situation from my mind, and let it go. The key for me is in not personalizing the situation. That, my friends is self-preservation at is most basic in my minds' eye. Negative feelings and issues need to be mowed down and raked aside, much like an overgrown lawn. Hanging on to this kind of situation only fuels more anger and keeps us from moving forward to more important and valuable situations within our lives.After all, things worth hanging onto are prizes, and I wonder why anyone would want to hang on to anything that makes them feel angry, cynical and is just despicable in most senses of the word. My only guess is that some do not love themselves enough to take care of themselves by dispelling such thoughts and situations. I do not forget what transpired, I take the lesson, file it carefully and know things more important will occupy my time from thereon in.
Summing it up, we all need to do what works for each of us individually. My method is to avoid stepping on toes, my own included, at all costs. I like to act from the positive end of the spectrum, it is closest to the ideal I hope to reach in most situations. We all need to adapt what works for us, though if you keep reacting and acting in the same type of way and are not getting where you want to, then perhaps you need to look at your stance and figure out what could work better and what you can do to precipitate change for yourself.
~balance in all things~
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