View Full Version : Having a positive attitude at work irritates the grumpy ones!
I started working for a bus company and on my first week I had a meltdown due to the bus breaking everyday. The dispatch lady took me on the side and explained that it's ok and I need to relax, also just be social and mingle. I grew to like the job and so I always wave and say hi. I like to talk with everyone. Lately people say that I am always smiling, I reply that I am glad to be working plus I like the job. However there are a few grumps that will get mad if you smile at them.Too bad.
One day I drove by a sign that read "Happiness is a choice". So they can choose to be grumpy. I am happy to be working and smiling encourages others to smile. I took a lot of work for me to get here and if they are miserable that's their problem. So the moral of the story is, it may take a big decision to be happy where you are in your life, greater challenge is to stay that way with grumps around. Whenever I get a comment of sorts I change the subject and smile.I learned don't sweat the small stuff. I still see people trapped in worry and negative thoughts at work and I feel bad for them, All they need is to develop a positive attitude. Trust me I have a huge share of serious problems and I am just glad to be alive, plus I got a second chance at life and i will use it wisely!I challenge you to try it out a see what happens with those grumps!
Ooh, Sylvia, thank you for this! I needed it today. So, what south suburb do you live in? I went to Homewood-Flossmoor high school.
catherine
5-14-13, 12:18pm
Yes, keep smiling! You don't know who's going to be better for it.
My adult son and I were Christmas shopping at Marshall's last December and we went up to the counter and greeted the cashier and she said in a frazzled way, "Boy, I wish ALL customers were like YOU!"
We hadn't done anything, so we asked her, "What do you mean?"
She said, "You're NICE!"
Again, we hadn't done ANYTHING except walk up to the counter and say, "Hi, how ya doin'?" Amazing. Smiles are free, last time I checked.
I am from Tinley Park and Homewood is 20 minutes away! Away with the grumps!
I'm always amazed at how powerful it can be to just be nice to somebody. In many cases, my kind remark is the only one they've received all day, and they REMEMBER. It can make quite a ripple effect in peoples' lives, even grumpy people (I'm as nice to grumps as I am to everyone else....there's usually a reason why they have such a dark outlook).
One kind remark when I was 11 years old probably saved my life -- one nice thing! And she probably said nice things to everybody she met!
Sylvia, you're terrific. So glad you're here.
Gardenarian
5-14-13, 2:46pm
Thank you for spreading the happiness!
I work with often stressed out and irritable students in our library.
It's wonderful to see them take a deep breath and relax after spending just a little time helping them.
ToomuchStuff
5-14-13, 3:30pm
A positive attitude tends to irritate when one is pushy. But a pushy person can irritate with a negative attitude as well. Quite honestly most positive people that irritate me, are "fake happy" for lack of a proper term. As they are typically sales people, or religious zealots trying to lull you over to their side/product/whatever. I hate that.
Now I have dealt with quite a few positive people, who have the courtesy to leave those who are having a bad time or day alone (what a lot of times people who are having a bad day, want). There is a difference between pushy and courtesy.
Thank you for this. I am actively working on reminding myself of the very things you stated. I work in customer service and some days it is really hard to be bright and chipper (but not in a fakey way). I have noticed the more I shine, the more the world shines along with me!
Now I have dealt with quite a few positive people, who have the courtesy to leave those who are having a bad time or day alone (what a lot of times people who are having a bad day, want). There is a difference between pushy and courtesy.
On the home front, my DH and I have worked out a plan where I make sure I'm not chipper in the morning before 10am and he's not chipper at night after 9pm. That's definitely helped our marriage
Awesome replies! I agree I don't care for fake happy. I think it's interesting that a person can observe that in another person when that person being observed may not know that they are fake happy. It started with a long depressing year I had everything was just bad, tragedy after tragedy. then I learned about karma, what goes around comes around. Then I checked my self and my attitude, I stopped being so all or nothing. Now I feel like the load is off and I go with the flow more often. I am also on high blood pressure medication and that has really mellowed me out. I feel great and i have less nightmares too. All it took was a shift in attitude. Happiness really to me is a choice.
On the home front, my DH and I have worked out a plan where I make sure I'm not chipper in the morning before 10am and he's not chipper at night after 9pm. That's definitely helped our marriage
ha ha catherine, so funny!
A positive attitude tends to irritate when one is pushy. But a pushy person can irritate with a negative attitude as well. Quite honestly most positive people that irritate me, are "fake happy" for lack of a proper term. As they are typically sales people, or religious zealots trying to lull you over to their side/product/whatever. I hate that.
Now I have dealt with quite a few positive people, who have the courtesy to leave those who are having a bad time or day alone (what a lot of times people who are having a bad day, want). There is a difference between pushy and courtesy.
Oh, yes! I used to have one coworker who was irritatingly over-the-top chipper in the morning, every day. She'd get into your face and everything, inserting herself into your cube. She did it to multiple people. Each one of us asked her nicely to back off and she didn't. We each had our avoidance techniques for her. Thank goodness she only worked there a year. I was so happy when she quit.
I'm one of those people who isn't fully social until 9 am or so. I might get into the office at 7 (an hour early) as I did today, but I've got plenty of work to do, so I'll surface when I'm ready and somewhat caffeinated. ;)
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