Think positive...

[one...two...tree 2,762]

I'm not what anyone would consider a "positive thinking" person. Try as I may, I don't think I am going to change it. I'm fine with it for the most part, I think I get as much stress (or more) from people telling me I'm too negative or I have a problem with my attitude. So I'm not chipper, or happy, or ingratiating, so what? Leave me alone, you'll see a happier person.

If one more person tells me to smile because I look too serious, I might have to punch them.

I was asked by a young guy behind the counter of an ice cream shop, how I was doing today. I gave him the standard reply of, "I'm good," but I felt awkward because of the way he said it - he tried to look sincere even though he didn't really give a sh!t. He was probably trained to do that, but he failed miserably at it. There are, however, people who are really good at connecting with you - people who are genuinely friendly to begin with. I don't think you can 'train' a narcissist teenager to be a warm and friendly person if they aren't that way to begin with, but so many customer service companies insist on their employees to be artificial. I think back of the years when I worked in retail and my own interaction with customers. I would be friendly and courteous to them as much as I was being my natural self, but the times when I tried to force a big smile or say some canned greeting verbatim to what I was trained to say, I felt like sh!t afterward and I know it never went over well with the customer on the receiving end.

Edited August 20, 2010 by El Buscador

[Peikko 1,575]

I was asked by a young guy behind the counter of an ice cream shop, how I was doing today. I gave him the standard reply of, "I'm good," but I felt awkward because of the way he said it - he tried to look sincere even though he didn't really give a sh!t. He was probably trained to do that, but he failed miserably at it. There are, however, people who are really good at connecting with you - people who are genuinely friendly to begin with. I don't think you can 'train' a narcissist teenager to be a warm and friendly person if they aren't that way to begin with, but so many customer service companies insist on their employees to be artificial. I think back of the years when I worked in retail and my own interaction with customers. I would be friendly and courteous to them as much as I was being my natural self, but the times when I tried to force a big smile or say some canned greeting verbatim to what I was trained to say, I felt like sh!t afterward and I know it never went over well with the customer on the receiving end.

More good points. I think what you are identifying here is that there is no formula that you can use that will guarantee a genuine change of mood. We can demand customer service that is polite and efficient, but we can not really demand a non stop sunny disposition and any attempt to elicit one is worse than allowing the person to be natural, even if that sometimes means you get greeted without that smile - I personally would prefer politeness and efficiency without the artifice.

[^_^ 5,021]

I was asked by a young guy behind the counter of an ice cream shop, how I was doing today. I gave him the standard reply of, "I'm good," but I felt awkward because of the way he said it - he tried to look sincere even though he didn't really give a sh!t.

That's common these days. I think it needs to stop and I do my part by never responding. Just do your fu##ing job and if you want to ask someone how they're doing, call an elderly relative who you haven't called in years.

[rika60607 215]

We will all die. Can you accept the death as a positive (release from suffering)?

Then, someone with terminal disease gets advantage of knowing that they are really dying and when it will likely happen.

All in attitude!

#######, a terminal disease is not a ###### gift, it is a death sentence and there is nothing particularly positive about that. Yes, in the end we have to come to terms with things like that but we do not have to be all happy clappy about it.

[Peikko 1,575]

We will all die. Can you accept the death as a positive (release from suffering)?

Then, someone with terminal disease gets advantage of knowing that they are really dying and when it will likely happen.

All in attitude!

Yes, we all die, but most of us plan on living a long and healthy life between birth and death without having to think of the saving graces of being burdened with a terminal illness especially if one gets that 'gift' when one is relatively, or in fact actually young.

More pet peeves, worrying is not something that has little to no value - worrying is a useful tool. Worrying about concrete and real problems provides us with the tools we need to solve these problems and helps us to accept things that are initially difficult and distressing. Worrying is not a waste of time.

[trillium13 84]

More pet peeves, worrying is not something that has little to no value - worrying is a useful tool. Worrying about concrete and real problems provides us with the tools we need to solve these problems and helps us to accept things that are initially difficult and distressing. Worrying is not a waste of time.

As someone who spends very much time worrying, I can say that for me some of it is definitely a waste of time. I guess it depends on how much you do.

With that said, if everyone always just "thought positively" nothing would ever be accomplished. You can't simply make issues go away by smiling and giggling. Someone has to get serious and actually do something.

I try to think of my worrying as "thorough preparation for any eventuality". Especially worst case scenarios.

[Peikko 1,575]

As someone who spends very much time worrying, I can say that for me some of it is definitely a waste of time. I guess it depends on how much you do.

With that said, if everyone always just "thought positively" nothing would ever be accomplished. You can't simply make issues go away by smiling and giggling. Someone has to get serious and actually do something.

I try to think of my worrying as "thorough preparation for any eventuality". Especially worst case scenarios.

Yes a useful tool and as with everything, moderation in all things