I was an 18 year old college freshman when I started my first diary. When I renewed my subscription to Seventeen magazine (don’t judge me), I got this really cute gold notebook.
From that moment on, I’ve had several diaries. They’ve been the keeper of my secrets, fears, dreams, failures, etc. Diaries are my confidant when my introversion prevents me from opening up to others.
It would be easy to say that humor is my favorite personality trait but everyone thinks their funny. What everyone isn’t, however, is sarcastic.
I silently laugh when I make a joke laced with sarcasm and I see that confused look on someone’s face as they try to figure it out. It keeps me sane when I’m surrounded by stupid 8-10 hours a day.
So tell me, what is your favorite personality trait?
If I could change one thing about myself, I would be a patient person. Not to be confused with a more patient person; I would need to become a patient person first before I can ask for more patience.
Whew!
As I’ve gotten older, my level of patience has dwindled to non-existent. I think a lot of it stems from years spent in high-productivity jobs. Can’t have the patience of Job when the clock is ticking and quotas have to be met.
Do it and do it now.
That’s my mantra. I don’t like to wait for people to do things, especially when I know I can do it in less time. I would be a liar if I said that I was working on it. Sounds good in theory but attempts to execute the theory would fail.
Sometimes a theory should remain just that, a theory.
Knowing who you are as a person can shield you from a world of hurt. When you don’t know what behavior(s) you accept from others, you leave yourself wide open to be taken advantage of.
For example, when dating, you set the standard from the beginning as to how you want to be treated. If at any point you don’t like something that’s said and/or done, it’s your responsibility to speak up. Otherwise, the other party will assume that sort of behavior is acceptable and it will continue to happen.
You show people how you want to be treated. Know your worth.
When I was a teenager, I wanted to be part of the popular crowd. I wanted to walk down the hallways and everyone knew my name.
Attempts to align myself with them were futile. They rejected me every time. Looking back, I’m grateful for that rejection because I realize why they were so popular.
Tarnished reputation avoided.
Online dating had its fair share of rejection. So many of my “I’m interested” messages were either ignored or responded with “No thanks.” Talk about a blow to the self-esteem.
Experiencing rejection helped me realize that I’m good enough. That’s the boost my self-confidence needed.
If I were asked if I preferred working with others or working alone, I would definitely say that I prefer to work alone.
In the past, every time I’ve had to work with people, there was always the chance that at least one person wouldn’t pull their weight. That would leave me having to do my work plus the work of the slacker(s).
If praises are given for a job well done, everyone takes credit. Wrong, wrong, and wrong! I have no problem snitching on the slackers. What you won’t do is take credit for something that you contributed nothing to.
However, if the group’s ridiculed for their efforts, the slacker(s) says nothing. Of course they aren’t going to take responsibility for how awful the project was because they didn’t contribute to it.
Working alone leaves me responsible for one person. If things don’t get done on schedule, I have nobody to be pissed at but myself. Most importantly, nobody can take credit for a job they contributed nothing to.
I don’t like to share my problems and/or issues with anyone. In the past, I’ve disclosed to people in confidence only to find out they violated my trust.
So I dealt with things alone, which worked in theory. However, it wrecked havoc on my health. Lots of sleepless nights, loss of appetite, horrible hair days, and that’s just the physical ramifications.
Mentally, the anxiety from worrying held me hostage. I felt like the world around me hit PAUSE because I was unable to focus on anything besides the issue/problem at hand.
Once a solution was found, I was able to mentally hit PLAY and life proceeded to go on.
The last time an issue wrecked havoc, I was determined not to go through this. I grabbed my journal, taking my time to detail what was weighing heavily on my mind. As I wrote, I felt the weight becoming lighter. A feeling of immense calm rushed over me and I was able to focus on a possible solution.
Find your own way of letting go. It benefits no one to bottle up all of that stress and anxiety.
I’m not 100% certain of anything. While I may not be 100% certain about my life, there are a few things I hope to still have as I get older: happiness, good health, sound mind, and the ability to write.
Very few things scare me more than to have any of these things taken from me. What gives you hope in a world of uncertainty?