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You Can't Please Everyone - So Don't Try

By: Jerry Aragon , Posted On: Thursday, July 27, 2006

I don't think it matters if a person gets a promotion, wins an award, receives some nice flowers from a loved one at work; buys a house; completes a degree, etc., chances are that individual could be the victim of the ugly face of jealousy and/or resentment from a few negative people of hate around them!

Nobody has cornered the market on hate! The "little minds of the world," seem to be in so many places doing their damage. It doesn't matter what field you're in: business; politics; entertainment; sports; student; and even the family, in-laws, co-workers, etc. In my view, you can expect negative people to come out of the woodwork at any time!

For many years, I have been a woodcarver, and I have participated in over 40 arts and crafts shows around the state of New Mexico. (where I'm from) And, I've sold my work in a few shops and galleries as well. Because of this, I rarely ever talk about my work, and I pretty much keep everything to myself, because I know what will happen...jealous and resentful people will come out of the woodwork!

A few years ago, I got a telephone call from a writer at the local morning newspaper. She was calling to see if I would be interested in her doing a story on my work. At that time, I had never done anything like this, so I gladly accepted. We agreed for her to come over a couple of days later, and we had a nice chat for about an hour, I showed her samples of my work, and she took a few pictures.

At the time, I was working for an engineering company (over 100 employees), for about six years, and as I said earlier, I rarely discuss my work with anyone. So, most of the people at work didn't know anything about what I did. About two days after the interview, and nervous as I could be, the half-page story came out in the morning newspaper (with photos), and I was pleased with how it all came out.

But, when I reported for work that morning, is when my nightmare began! I was astonished at how I was treated! Many of the fellow employees saw the story in the newspaper, and it didn't take long for me to get the cold shoulder! All day long, people were distant from me! In the past, those employees who would come over and have a chat almost every week...would just keep going! I was appalled at what I was seeing and feeling! A few people were rude to me, and a couple of people were down right hateful to me and told me to go talk to a newspaper reporter!

I felt empty and hollow all morning, and this was one of the worst days of my life! Up until that time, I had done my woodwork for over ten years, and it was featured in the newspaper, and THIS is what I get for all my troubles? I try to make a name for myself, and this is what I get? There were a couple of people who were positive and nice to me, and it helped to ease the pain, but I didn't expect anything like this! If I would have known that the behavior at the company would be like this...I would have never done the story! I should have left work at noon, but like an idiot, I stayed at work the whole day! This day had to be one of the longest and worst days of my life, and I was glad when I was over!

For me, the question was if this ever happened to me again, that is, have the opportunity to have my work featured in a newspaper or magazine, what will I do? At the time, I had no idea.

About three years went by, and again, I was called by a writer at the newspaper, and he wanted to do a story on my work. Over the past three years, I had plenty of time to think about it, so the decision was easy! I told the newspaper writer that I would be happy to do the story! I remembered that awful day like it was yesterday, which was so painful for me! This would be my opportunity for pay-back, and I couldn't wait! The writer and I made arrangements to get together that week. A couple of days later, he came over and we had a nice time, and he also took a few pictures to go with the story.

THIS TIME I WOULD BE READY FOR THE PEOPLE AT WORK!

I still worked at the same company, and there were pretty much the same people working there as before. I was NOT going to let the "little minds of the world," ruin my confidence and my life! I was NOT going to let them dictate what I should do and not do with my life! As three years before, the story came out in the morning newspaper. But this time, I went to work standing tall. I felt good about my decision to do the story. I got ambushed last time, but this time was different! I COULDN'T WAIT...it was MY turn!

That morning, I went to work as usual, and nobody talked to me, and I talked to nobody, and that's the way I wanted it. I was proud of what I had just done, that is, have the courage to go back into the snake's den, but it wasn't easy! This was MY day, and my feelings were a lot different for me, than three years before. This time, I was ready for this bunch! But the sad part of all of it, was that it would never be the same at work again...never! All of this jealousy, resentment and hate over a couple of articles in the newspaper? I couldn't believe it! But, this was the problem of the negative and people of hate...not mine! Going back to work that morning, turned out to be one of my proudest moments!

* * * One morning, I was driving to work and I was listening to a talk show on the radio. The guest of the show, was a long time broadcast reporter, from one of the networks, where she had worked for over 30 years. (Leslie Stahl-60 Minutes) And, during the interview, she told the audience about...when she would visit one of the affiliate television stations outside of New York, she would make TEN ENEMIES as soon as she walked in the door!

This was amazing to me, as I listened to the story, and I was anxious to know why! The reasons? Leslie has been a very successful woman; she has been a successful woman in a man's world; she is famous; she makes a lot of money; at 50 or 60 something, she is very attractive and sexy; she's well liked and popular, and the most important fact of all...I've loved her myself for over 30 years! And, she said, in so many words, that there are people who cross her path, who are jealous, resentful and hateful toward her! Asked what she could do about it? She told the interviewer, that she could'n do anything about the problem, except that SHE CAN'T PLEASE EVERYONE, SO SHE DOESN'T TRY!

* * *

After six job layoffs over a decade, I worked as a temporary employee at over 20 different companies. And I have to say, that almost everywhere I went, I saw a lot of negative work places! And, that's how I think America is getting...more and more negative! I have zero tolerance for jealous, resentful and people of hate...the "little minds of the world!"

And, maybe George Bush, Sr. was right when he said, "We need a kinder and gentler nation!" And, what I believe he meant...is what we are doing to each other as a People!

Article Source: http://www.many-articles.com

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