Yes, I Rewrote My Blog Today

Earlier, some of you might have seen my blog about powering up relationships. I’m replacing it with this one.

Why? Because even though I meant what I said, I didn’t feel my words. I stood outside of them, offering suggestions that everybody already knows.

I’m kind of tired of getting tips from people that are presented as awe-inspiring but are actually incredibly obvious. You know, things like:

• Get along with co-workers,
• Work hard,
• Be a top-achiever.

Because it’s not what we know, it’s what we do with what we know . . .

I know that I should be an achiever, but sometimes I don’t wanna be one. There are days when I can park my ample ass in front of a television, chug down at least three Cokes, and watch people hunt for houses while repeating the same lines over and over and over again. I start telling my husband that we need more space for entertaining and more natural light. But it’s okay, because some days I don’t want success. I want rest.

Quite frankly, there are days when I don’t want to put together a top-notch presentation and become the next TED presenter. Sometimes, I just want to throw bullet points on a slide and see what sticks. I want to sit at the meeting table and eat all of the chocolate candy while others shine. I want to be dull.

There are days when being a superstar is just too exhausting, and I choose to be a super-slob.

That’s right. There are days when I don’t even want to wash my hair. Each time I get that inlking, my husband mentions that the first sign of mental illness is when you stop bathing. So, I bathe. But I I really don’t want to.

There are days like the one I had in second grade. Sandy was running for class president, as was I. At recess, I noticed a group of girls gathering around her as she started to cry. Nobody knew why she had broken into dramatic sobs until she told them that I had hit her. Well, I was nowhere near her. But she convinced the teacher that it was true and my name was taken out of the class president hat. I have met many Sandys’ in corporate America, and some days I want to trip them as they walk down the hallway.

Even Jesus got tired . . .

Yes, there is a story in the Bible where Jesus has had enough of people and gets in a boat to sail away. I was always convinced that Christopher Cross’s song “Sailing” was about that incident:

Well it’s not far back to sanity, at least it’s not for me
And if the wind is right you can sail away and find serenity
Oh, the canvas can do miracles, just you wait and see.
Believe me.

There are people at work who make enjoying your job almost impossible. They are lurkers, waiting around the corner to fuss when they don’t get the project they want, or the office they believe they deserve, or the coffee-maker for their break room. The lurkers make getting along really difficult. In fact, if you make it through the day without punching them it’s a win.

So please know that I know . .

I bet you know that relationships at work are important.

And I am pretty sure you know the importance of achievement when it comes to success.

And without a doubt you know the importance of getting along with others.

But on certain days you need to rest. And avoid the lurkers. And not punching someone is a huge plus.

I get it.

I just wanted you to know that I know that you know.