You'll never see the glass as half-full again
I like to believe I’m an optimist. Cokebaby likes to think of himself as a realist (that’s code for pessimist). Together we balance each other out.
Well, this week has taken its toll on me and my viewpoint and I’ve had to put every ounce of energy into fighting the overwhelming urge to let the realism set in.
On the very day I was hit with the news that I might not be employed at my dream job come the end of May, I had to go into a meeting to welcome a new set of managers to the volunteer project that has been near and dear to my heart for almost six years: All Rights Reserved Literacy Journal Association.
I’ll be honest: I dreaded it.
I didn’t want their first impression of me to be the snarky, embittered board member who really could care less about anything but my title. And even though double shots of espresso that I had earlier in the day and the Rainforest Rhapsody blend from JustUs! that night caused a case of the shakes in a person who typically only has a cup of coffee once on weekends, something clicked in me during our meeting.
Nobody wants to be let go from their job, let alone their dream job, or go through bureaucratic red tape to try and keep it. All the stages of grieving such a loss (even if it’s just a theoretical loss) come with the territory. But looking into the faces of the three people who would carry on the torch, listening to their energy and ideas, I couldn’t help but feel genuinely…optimistic.
And to top things off, the Donate 4 Dachshunds campaign has made close to $800 in just a few short days. That $2,000 goal at the end of the month will be a breeze; Tofu will be so happy.
Is there a lesson here? I don’t know. What I do know is that one’s outlook on life can have a tremendous impact on getting things done. Wallowing in self-pity (for too long) is for contestants on Survivor and other reality-based shows. This is real life. It keeps moving after the cameras stop rolling.
I’ve been there so I know exactly how much you don’t want or need to hear that it’ll all work out in the end.
But I’m a friend so I have to say it anyway.
Don’t hate me.
Ben: How can I hate? I appreciate all the support I’ve been getting and do have faith that things will work out in the end, even if it means having to move on.
when the cbc news came down, i wondered if it would affect you at all. i hope that it won’t … but i really believe that things work out for the best in these situations. a year ago this week i lost my job … it was a bumpy few months, but now i have a job i love and i am so much happier than i was 12 short months ago.
Michelle: I’m glad things worked out for you in the end. I’ve also been in the same situation before and even though I didn’t keep the job I wound up finding another one that led me to get my PR degree and start a new career. So, while I’d hate to lose this job because I love it, if it happens I’m confident that I’ll find (or maybe even create) another one.
Be hopeful, and be ready. For anything.
Because anything could happen and whichever way it goes, you’ll need that optimism. That with your geekiness, smarts and enthusiastic will land you in a good place, where ever it may be.
And I’m talking as someone who knows only too well what you’re facing.
Gifted: Thanks for the kind comments. I believe optimism is, like everything else, something that has to be worked on. I just have to keep reminding myself of that when I feel like I’m staring down an empty road not knowing what may lay ahead of me..!