Formalities Really Suck
….sometimes.
“Ugh. Another one down the drain.” I thought recently after having a tough conversation. It didn’t go as well as I had thought it would. If you follow my writing then you know that I like to have tough conversations and cover tough topics, and sometimes I like to do it for the heck of it.
They don’t intimidate me.
The tougher the conversation, the more intrigued I become. I am a thinker and I like to ask questions. How else do you expect to get to know people or learn something new? The way things are going nowadays, you cannot afford to just go with the flow. Unless it’s in a traditional setting. Then you have to deal with always being on your toes in conversation.
- Yes, Ma’am
- No, sir
- Good Morning
- Goodbye
- Thank you
- You’re welcome
These are all formalities we are all too familiar with. Every day we struggle to make the right impression on people. But when do they become unnecessary? I had a colleague once get upset with me because I didn’t hand them a Christmas Card I had placed on their desk while they were away. In another situation, I had a colleague playfully correct me because I didn’t say “Good Morning” when they walked up to an on-going conversation.
I didn’t think anything of either one of those situations. We were all working for the same company, getting paid within the same salary range to complete a common goal. I didn’t get it. What was the problem? How did they become so important all of a sudden? In some situations, I don’t think you always need a formality to get to know someone. Some of this stuff is plain and simple, based on personal preference.
People sometimes take themselves a little too seriously, and it makes things a lot harder than they should be. It makes work environments and your intimate relationships really uncomfortable, too. If you don’t hold the power to sign a pay check, or stop one, please stop it with all the formalities. Your perception of something as insignificant as a “Good Morning” or how I drop off your Christmas Card could very well just be whats holding you back from the life you desire.
You always have to be mindful that everyone doesn’t come from the same background as you and some things come with time. Unless it’s the CEO of the company, your boss, one of your parents or your lover, sometimes you have to learn how to get in where you fit in, and bury that high and mighty attitude in the sand on your next vacation.
Hope this helps someone!
CH
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