What pet peeves do you have?
Awww…c’mon. You must have at least one.
My pet peeve is the way people greet each other.
Why can’t we just cheerfully say “Good Morning!” and be done with it?
This has become the standard way to say hello to someone.
“Good morning. How are you doing?”
“Good. How are you doing?”
“Good.”
This makes me insane because it means nothing.
People don’t care to hear how the other person is really feeling or what they’re experiencing in their day. The greeting is just a formality. You know what the individual will say when you ask – and you know what is expected of you in return.
The other person could be dying inside and having a horrible day, but will only respond with “good.”
I’ve tried to change my response and have added a few tidbits of general information, just to make it more interesting. By the time I’ve said a few words, people have either tuned me out, or they’ve physically moved on before I have a chance to finish.
This is what I experience with people in “upper management” in our large company who stroll by my desk once every three months.
They ask, “How are you doing?”
I answer “okay.”
They shoot back, “Just okay?”
Their tone suggests that I've said the wrong thing.
And their expression suggests I’m required to say, “Most excellent! I’ve never been happier in my life!”
What’s so wrong with being “okay?”
I’m at work! I’d rather be at home in my lovely office, looking out the large window into my back yard, drinking a cup of coffee, and working on my manuscript. Can we get real, people? I think being okay is okay. And what if I wasn’t? Would they really want to hear what I have on my mind?
In contrast, when my friends ask how I’m doing, they look into my eyes, stop to listen, and express genuine interest.
I’m thankful for them.
Dawn
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