8:30 AM -- I woke up grumpy and tired. I feel like going into work with a "don't mess with me" attitude. Instead, I have decided this is Kindness Day. All day it will be my goal to be as kind as I can to everyone I encounter. This will be a challenge because our clinic is extra busy these days (details would only bore you and I am kinder than that) and we have no appointments available until next week. It will also be a challenge, of course, because I don't freaking feel like being kind today. Throughout the day, I will try to let you know how it's going.
11:15 -- I bought a box of chocolates for my coworkers to thank them for all their hard work; I was kind to myself by not having any. The clinic is not nearly as busy as it has been recently and that helps. I didn't buy the chocolate to make myself look like a good guy, but to set my thoughts on the path to kindness.
12:55 -- We talked about sociopaths at lunch; I'm glad I'm not one. We deal with quite a few of them here and I find it very disturbing to think that I could ever not care about being kind or generous or what effect my behavior could have on others.
4:30 -- All in all, that went pretty well. When a client got on my nerves a bit, all I had to do was remind myself that this was Kindness Day and my whole perspective shifted. Now, don't get me wrong; I am not one of those who believes in the efficacy of wishing things were so and that they will be as I want them to be. But I do believe in the old saying that "we might not be able to change the wind, but we can set our sails." The question I need to pose myself is this: who would benefit from my crappy attitude if I carried it around with me and imposed it on others? Would I? Or would I merely be spreading poison wherever I go? I don't need that and the world most certainly does not. There is enough fear, hatred, and just plain grumpiness to go around.
There is an old parable about a monk who set his bag down in dog shit and then wonders why he could never find a place that didn't stink. How often have I made a stink and wondered why the place I was (work, home, etc) wasn't a very pleasant place to be? I enjoyed Kindness Day. But I'm glad this day is done. I will go to bed now. Peace out.
11:15 -- I bought a box of chocolates for my coworkers to thank them for all their hard work; I was kind to myself by not having any. The clinic is not nearly as busy as it has been recently and that helps. I didn't buy the chocolate to make myself look like a good guy, but to set my thoughts on the path to kindness.
12:55 -- We talked about sociopaths at lunch; I'm glad I'm not one. We deal with quite a few of them here and I find it very disturbing to think that I could ever not care about being kind or generous or what effect my behavior could have on others.
4:30 -- All in all, that went pretty well. When a client got on my nerves a bit, all I had to do was remind myself that this was Kindness Day and my whole perspective shifted. Now, don't get me wrong; I am not one of those who believes in the efficacy of wishing things were so and that they will be as I want them to be. But I do believe in the old saying that "we might not be able to change the wind, but we can set our sails." The question I need to pose myself is this: who would benefit from my crappy attitude if I carried it around with me and imposed it on others? Would I? Or would I merely be spreading poison wherever I go? I don't need that and the world most certainly does not. There is enough fear, hatred, and just plain grumpiness to go around.
There is an old parable about a monk who set his bag down in dog shit and then wonders why he could never find a place that didn't stink. How often have I made a stink and wondered why the place I was (work, home, etc) wasn't a very pleasant place to be? I enjoyed Kindness Day. But I'm glad this day is done. I will go to bed now. Peace out.
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