Day 149: Work Lunch + Book

Today I learned...

...that a work lunch out is a good thing, even on a very busy day with too much to do.

Today I am thankful for...

...the book I am reading: RANDOM FAMILY. It has helped me better understand people, especially my current clients.

Day 140: Fear + Ellen

Today I learned...

...that fear is within, not without.

Today I am thankful for...

...the perfect little video about Abercrombie & Fitch that Ellen did in a charming and simple way.

Day 136: Stories + Anticipation

Today I learned...

...that when clients make up stories it is easier to laugh to myself than to waste energy being angry.

Today I am thankful for...

...one week until Alicia visits me!!!!

Day 63: Lack of Food + Extras

Today I learned...
...of someone who has to stand in a food pantry line for hours once a week just to feed her children. It really broke my heart. I wanted to take her to the store straightaway and buy her groceries...but I remembered my professional boundaries. Well, I never forgot my professional boundaries... but part of me wanted to help her in a more direct way than I was.

Today I am thankful for...
...extra time with Rick due to no class tonight, extra time to email my friend, and the rest of the massive piece of chocolate cake from yesterday's lunch. ;-)

Day 46: Willingness to Serve + Lessons in Politics

Today I learned...
...that sometimes people will get under your skin and make you angry. Being human is part of life. Serving these people even when they have made you angry is how you show that you value them and your role.

Today I am thankful for...
...a husband who has the knowledge and life experience to teach me so many political and historical lessons.

Day 25: Respect + A Shortened Work Day

Today I learned...
...that treating someone like a human DOES get noticed. Most of the time, people (myself included) tend to think that the regular, simple things they do don't get noticed - that no one will care if they are nice, so they don't go out of their way to be. They just do their job without any "extras." Today, I was not overly kind (at least I don't think so - though I did make a little more conversation than necessary and I did smile instead of not smiling, even though nothing pleasant was happening)...I did not do anything special...but today a client said to her mother in front of me, about me: "See - her attitude is so nice. THAT is what you call good customer service." She turned to me. "THANK YOU," she said with real emphasis. It made me realize that they are used to be treated badly. All I had done was tell them I was sorry they had to come a long way in the freezing cold. All I had done was apologize for the wait. All I had done was smile and talk to the little girl that accompanied them. There were several things about the situation that could have led me to be annoyed, or even just unresponsive. I could have gone through the motions, since my day was busy and they weren't in good moods. But I treated them like humans, because they are humans. I gave respect, without the expectation that I would get it back. And to my surprise, I was THANKED just for being normal and nice.

Today I am thankful for...
...getting to leave work one hour early. My evening therefore started earlier, which means it can end earlier! That means more sleep for me tonight, which is very appreciated. It also means I didn't have to drive in the snow we got after 4:00 pm.

Day 24: Ethical Dilemmas + Rick's Health

Today I learned...
...that there are very serious situations that are not just black and white. In hospice today, an ethical dilemma was discussed...and I'm damned if I can even choose what I would do in the situation. There's just no good, right answer. So many sides.

Today I am thankful for...
...my husband finally feeling better! He was pretty sick for a few days and went back to work today, feeling almost human. I'm so glad.

Day 23: Relationships + Warmth

 Today I learned...
...that age-gap relationships aren't as uncommon as one might think. At three different, random times today, I discovered ones.

Today I am thankful for...
...my warm clothes, my warm coat, my warm car, and my warm house. It's bitterly cold out there...the coldest it's been in a long time. But I am lucky. I can get warm.

Day 21: Surprises + Followers

Today I learned...
...that unexpected phone calls don't have to be bad. While I was writing a paper for grad school today, my cell phone rang - a blocked number - and I checked my annoyance and welcomed the interruption by changing my thinking. Instead of a) not answering it as I usually do when I don't know the caller or b) anticipating bad news or something that would bother me, I held my phone for a few seconds as it continued to ring and said, "Thank you for the magnificent outcome of this phone call." This is something I learned from The Magic. (By applying gratitude to something before it happens, an unexpected occurrence can be magical.) Then I answered the phone. What transpired was, in a nutshell, an opportunity to be interviewed by Nancy Werteen for Channel 69 News about eating disorder recovery.

Today I am thankful for...
...the opportunity I listed above...but really so much more: for all the positive feedback from my video viewers and blog readers, for all the Thank You emails and messages from men and women, parents, and professionals, for all the support from people who love me, and for all my followers across the globe - it's AMAZING! I love everyone and it's my honor to help when and where I can.

Day 11: Honesty + Organization

Today I learned...
...that honesty and kindness can really go a long way to facilitate a positive outcome. I made a mistake at work today. Actually, I made a mistake a couple of weeks ago and just discovered it today. It wasn't a huge, life-altering mistake that couldn't be fixed, but it wasn't a tiny mistake either.

In the course of rectifying this mistake, I had to find a file. I looked everywhere. I told a co-worker. She helped me look...and eventually, after I had exhausted all possibilities, she found the file on my own desk, beneath a pile of work. As the image quote suggests, silent gratitude isn't much use, so I told her "Thank you" three times with feeling and gave her a hug (not inappropriately - we're friends). She laughed for a second, but felt appreciated.

Then, in order to fix the situation, I had the unpleasant task of calling someone my mistake involved and explaining that I had messed up.

It went something like this:

Me: "Hi, L. It's Arielle from C. How are you?"

L: "Hi, Arielle! I'm good. And you?"

Me: "Good, good. I'm calling about A."

L: (explains the situation that ensued from my mistake and asks if it is correct)

Me: "L, I have to apologize. It's completely my fault. Her case is totally fine. I'm so sorry. She came in on (date) when we had all that bad weather and then our office closed early and told us all to go home. So when I came back, I forgot that I had not cleared (the discrepancy) and...I didn't even realize until today." The last part was said even more shamefully than the first part.

L: "Oh, honey! It's okay! It's fine! I can't even imagine how you deal with the caseloads you have over there! Don't even worry about it!"

Me: "Thank you! And thank you for following up with me."

L: "That stuff happens from time to time. I understand. It happens here too!" (She laughs.)

Me: "Thank you. (I do quick case-related confirmations.) Have a great day!"

L: "You too!"

I was honest instead of covering things up or just offering no explanation. I was kind instead of irritated by the situation or myself. And L was honest and kind right back.


Today I am thankful for...
...tools that help me stay organized. With a huge amount of responsibilities, deadlines, and commitments on my plate, my last semester of grad school in full swing, and a lot to remember(!), I bought a new planner, some highlighters, and pens, and I hunkered down with all my syllabi and calendars for work, grad school, internship, and personal life...and I got completely and utterly organized. I feel so much better!

Day 4: Kindness + Movie Nights

Today I learned...
...that treating someone with kindness even when you're frustrated and annoyed with them is enough to make the situation go your way. Thanks, Client of Mine who was driving me crazy. I was thinking of her with ill feeling, maybe even a little disdain...because she was difficult and disrespectful...but when I met with her, I tried to find empathize with her, tried to understand where she was coming from... and in treating her with kindness that started off tentative and soon became real, I was met with civility and respect. I expected argumentative demeanor, a bad attitude, and maybe even some yelling. Instead, I got nodding, soft words, and a complete turnaround in the scenario.

Today I am thankful for...
...wine and a movie with Rick. Sometimes the little, routine things are the things for which I am most grateful. It is a little reminder that life is good and comfortable.