Like a small child overfilled with sugary snacks, jumping around like a monkey in a zoo, I find myself swinging around wanting to share and write all my recent exciting stories and information.There is the Girls Trip in Las Vegas of Sheer and Utter Ridiculousness to record, excitement for Jason's return to Canada from Afghanistan and all the pulsating adrenaline around the upcoming triathlon and the training that goes with it. That will come, that will wait. Right now I am scooping my jaw of the floor and in my recovery of the scolding I received from an evaluation.
I have always hated being scolded.
For as long as I can remember the tiny things like don't pinch your sister or take her barbie, to maybe you shouldnt be drinking moosehead lager and hiding the bottles in your room to U of A Phys Ed scowling at our Pub Crawl promotions, getting "in trouble" has always made me feel bad. Not like I am Bad Girl Bad, or Bad Girls Have More Fun Bad, but I dislike the feeling of knowing someone is scowling and that is somehow related to my actions or words.
When I pulled up my latest round of evaluations from work and my Death Valley trips I had this scolding to read.
'Holly is too cheerful. Her positivity isn't always appreciated..... she is too much of a cheerleader..... She needs to stop cheer-leading...it can be too much positivity, too much happiness.'
And here I was thinking Positivity was simply linked to the happiness inside my heart, that people enjoyed being cheered along during a particularly hard bike ride. Or maybe I will just be less likely to respond when people ask me if, "I can make it to the hotel?"
(Yes! Of Course! You're almost there! You've done great! 20 miles done, 2 to Go! 2 miles is nothing! Let me refill your water and you head out!)
"No, you better get in the sag wagon loser, because the hotel is two miles away and I am telling you right now there is no way you're going to make it. My 80 year old Grandma could bike twice as fast as you. Get in the damn van."
Jason and I both loved your recent post. Made us both laugh. Too cheerful? That was their best shot at you…? Geesh! Have a safe journey home HH. Talk with you soon.
You get all of that positivity stuff from your Father… the scoldings you got from your Mother… I still can’t quite figure out why the heck you hauled all of those empties/partial empties up to your bedroom, each one of them click clicking as they hit the stairs coming up! That was 10 or so years ago. Betcha don’t do that anymore… Now your latest scolding? Well that was something else! Be proud of this one :>
Never accept feedback from “miserable” people. Don’t change. You are marvelous.
Also…Remember that the quality of one’s feedback is a perfect reflection of the quality of their own persona. If, after a wonderful trip, all one has to say is that their trip leader was too positive or that she was too happy, then there is really nothing you can do but feel sad for that person. The biggest mistake you can do in this case, would be to take this feedback seriously. Never succumb to mediocre people.
Although…I must say, I didn’t think you were the type to play with barbies 🙂
You published my comments! 🙂 You have to try to put the word out about this blog a bit more; e.g. anyone who is doing a search online about outdoor traveling should come across of this blog. I don’t know how you do it, but do it 🙂 I’m not kidding, you truly are a wonderful writer. C’est bon? Bon. A plus!
PMA stand for a Positive Mental Attitude. PMA is a choice and some people have it and some people will never have it. Whoever reads these evaluations for the company must have a good laugh. Good luck in your race on Sunday…Love ya,
No more anonyminimity on my end. Looking forward to your future posts Holly.
I can relate. I, too, have always been ‘cautioned’ on my enthusiasm, my wanting to take things from good to great, etc. Positivity a negative?
Hold fast to your own truth of who you are and hopefully you will find a place to work that ‘fits’ better!
some people are just 6s and can’t be happy when other people are. maybe you should do a personality test first and say “would you be happier if i berated you the whole way because i CAN!”