Once I move, I plan to tell you a bit more about my business. At that time, I will be taking a little break from it, in place of a more stable job in a new city, so I can reveal some juice.
I can tell you this, I work with people. I work with people dealing with a very emotional and expensive time in their lives and most of the time it is fantastic, but some of the time, it really isn't. I make people very happy, but people also take a lot out on me, some of the time.
Often, after a rude phone conversation with a client or a slew of profane texts shot at me at 2:00 am on a Monday, I think......this is it. I can't do this anymore. I am not tough enough. I want to just be without constant bother. Then, I get into bed and turn depressed for a few days until I find the strength and balance to apologize for things that have nothing to do with me. Often, this period of self doubt and self reflection are coupled with a major binge. When I feel like a failure regardless of what I have or haven't even done, food is my friend. It doesn't talk back.
Lately, as I have become more in tune with who I REALLY am, I have become less of a victim. I have been able to separate the "OMG, I really dropped the ball," which does happen from time to time with the "this isn't really my problem, nor my job, and I am sorry you feel this way, but I have nothing to do with it." Let's all live in reality for a moment. Things cost money. If you want them, you do have to pay for them. You hired me to help you, now let me help you and everything can't be done in 1 day.
In the past, everyday of my life was formally determined by how people treated me. I reacted to their energy. I am a very kind person. I am a very giving person. I think some people consider me to even be fake or phony or a total pushover. I promise you, I'm not. I love giving compliments and I give them often, but only when I mean them. I admire a lot about a lot of people. I love hearing about what makes a person an individual.
I realize that I am different than most people. I feel so deeply. I care so much. I want happiness and peace for all. I HATE CONFLICT...so much, that I would try my best to stay out of it and then I would explode. Now, when I feel things turning with a client, I try my best to think the entire thing through and realize that returning money and bowing out with enough time can be better overall than fighting tooth and nail to fix something that was and will be always broken. The times I have made miracles happen, stayed up for a week straight, put my own savings into something to make it unbelievable...these are the times I don't even get a thank you...not a hug, a handshake, or a "good job!". These are the times I still get a nasty review just because I agreed to work with someone. I will always admit fault and I have messed up in the past, but some people, some people just NEED to blame someone for something and often I am the person blamed.
From time to time, a client will never be satisfied and when you find yourself in the midst of one, I often think now (a few years into this)......GET OUT. You will end up feeling crazy trying to help someone who IS crazy.
The more I do my job, the more I realize that perhaps it may not be the job for me because I don't like to screw people over. I like to help them, to tell the truth, and to be a part of things. When this can't happen, I can't perform at my best. I am surprised that only very intelligent and financially secure people want to hear the truth. Perhaps they got this way because they listened and realized that life doesn't work the way they wanted it to just because they think they deserved it. They had to work hard and save.......
As the days go on and the countdown to the move continues, I decided to just kill them with kindness. I promise to be nice, BUT firm. To continue to be honest, loving, giving, and committed. You can't win them all. The great clients bring the great referrals and I am ready for GREAT.
Showing posts with label Rude People. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Rude People. Show all posts
Saturday, February 9, 2013
Monday, November 26, 2012
Some People
I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday! I sure did and I ate too much and today I am going to be back on track....I know, just like every other Monday. I swear, one of these days it will all stick, it has to.
Yesterday, I had a revelation. It was a big thing for me, I just have to share.
As I mentioned, I own my own business. I deal with the public on the daily and sometimes it is well.....it is less than fun. My job gets emotional. I get yelled at a lot for things that are not at all my fault and sometimes I lose my money and precious time correcting mistakes that are very much out of my control to help people and to most importantly protect my reputation. I do all I can for my clients.
If my clients do not trust me, I cannot help them. This is just the way it seems to work and I currently have a client that does not trust me at all.
This particular client raised no red flags upon booking. They seemed nice, kind, respectful, and most of all reasonable. I accepted them and the challenge of working my tush off for them and all systems have been go...BUT, they micromanage my every move, they offer me unrealistic deadlines, they feel like they own me and quite frankly for the first time in my career, I offered them an opportunity yesterday to walk right out of their contract, no penalty, just because I fear that I will never be able to EVER satisfy them.
Yesterday, they called me to yell at me. I admit, I made a mistake. Out of fear, I tried to complete something for them that was unrealistic. I promised something that I tried my best to deliver, but couldn't because of the holiday. I am scared of them quite honestly. Whenever I fear something, that is the only time I cannot tell the truth. Over the years, I have improved my honesty immensely, but yet, I didn't call them when they sent me a rather rude email on Thanksgiving and tell them "no way!". I was with my family and wanted to enjoy the day, so I said via email quickly, "I would work on it and it shouldn't be a problem." And I tried. I actually canceled my personal plans to bend over backwards for them and I couldn't get it done because I was relying on other people who were enjoying their own holiday, the way I SHOULD have been.
I spoke to them for more than 2 hours yesterday. I defended my business and my character. I didn't back down. I set a more realistic timeline for me, for them, for the reality of the situation. I didn't cry. I didn't take blame. I didn't lie. Progress. I got off the phone with them, this very rude and unhappy client that I will NEVER satisfy and I thought to myself, " I will do the BEST I can as I always do, but this is NOT my problem. This is them. This is insanity. Separate the reality and the situation and move on."
And I have. There are simply "some people" in this world and I do not consider myself one of them....I am different, I have taken the time to learn who I am. I would never call someone up and be hateful, spiteful, and mean to exercise power. I can't change the way people are, I can only help them the best way I know how. I no longer let other people ruin my day when the people in question do not know how to act respectfully. This is MAJOR progress for me. In the past, I would let the behavior and energy of other people dictate my feelings about myself and I simply will not do it anymore. I have learned to judge each and every situation I encounter separately. It is a peace I have never had before. I have learned to quiet my worst critic, my own self. RELIEF!
Have a great day!
Yesterday, I had a revelation. It was a big thing for me, I just have to share.
As I mentioned, I own my own business. I deal with the public on the daily and sometimes it is well.....it is less than fun. My job gets emotional. I get yelled at a lot for things that are not at all my fault and sometimes I lose my money and precious time correcting mistakes that are very much out of my control to help people and to most importantly protect my reputation. I do all I can for my clients.
If my clients do not trust me, I cannot help them. This is just the way it seems to work and I currently have a client that does not trust me at all.
This particular client raised no red flags upon booking. They seemed nice, kind, respectful, and most of all reasonable. I accepted them and the challenge of working my tush off for them and all systems have been go...BUT, they micromanage my every move, they offer me unrealistic deadlines, they feel like they own me and quite frankly for the first time in my career, I offered them an opportunity yesterday to walk right out of their contract, no penalty, just because I fear that I will never be able to EVER satisfy them.
Yesterday, they called me to yell at me. I admit, I made a mistake. Out of fear, I tried to complete something for them that was unrealistic. I promised something that I tried my best to deliver, but couldn't because of the holiday. I am scared of them quite honestly. Whenever I fear something, that is the only time I cannot tell the truth. Over the years, I have improved my honesty immensely, but yet, I didn't call them when they sent me a rather rude email on Thanksgiving and tell them "no way!". I was with my family and wanted to enjoy the day, so I said via email quickly, "I would work on it and it shouldn't be a problem." And I tried. I actually canceled my personal plans to bend over backwards for them and I couldn't get it done because I was relying on other people who were enjoying their own holiday, the way I SHOULD have been.
I spoke to them for more than 2 hours yesterday. I defended my business and my character. I didn't back down. I set a more realistic timeline for me, for them, for the reality of the situation. I didn't cry. I didn't take blame. I didn't lie. Progress. I got off the phone with them, this very rude and unhappy client that I will NEVER satisfy and I thought to myself, " I will do the BEST I can as I always do, but this is NOT my problem. This is them. This is insanity. Separate the reality and the situation and move on."
And I have. There are simply "some people" in this world and I do not consider myself one of them....I am different, I have taken the time to learn who I am. I would never call someone up and be hateful, spiteful, and mean to exercise power. I can't change the way people are, I can only help them the best way I know how. I no longer let other people ruin my day when the people in question do not know how to act respectfully. This is MAJOR progress for me. In the past, I would let the behavior and energy of other people dictate my feelings about myself and I simply will not do it anymore. I have learned to judge each and every situation I encounter separately. It is a peace I have never had before. I have learned to quiet my worst critic, my own self. RELIEF!
Have a great day!
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