Things I've learned about myself lately
My snap judgments will always both fill out and round out…
This has happened as a result of repetitive close proximity to new people and a new feeling of safety in shared space.
Having humans shoved in my face I wouldn’t always choose to is one of the many blessings of a job. It aligns with my core value of growth to experience this, while also allowing me to refine what I view as discernment.
I’m betting that the judgments are not necessarily wrong; they’re probably right. I’m not going and feeling like I can’t trust those first impressions of the people around me.
But by gathering new information and staying open, through presence, with set values I consciously wish to improve upon, and the ability to observe my own actions and emotions without identifying with them, I’m seeing the wider dataset.
Couple of quick examples:
Older woman I work with at StarbucksEveryone I work with at Starbucks:Mona is an older lady whose delivery when she is “trying to help you” as a new employee is so critical, so dry, so monotone, and so uptight that a former me might cry - now admits that she has her own way of doing things sometimes that aren’t by the rulebook, AND she is the first one to join in with me in random singing songs. She is the most likely to make sure I’m really ok before she leaves and willing to stay if I need help. And she still has her opinions!
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