Up Close and Personal

Photo taken just for you …

When my fur-son, Buddy, is tired or his hip is hurting, we take this shorter route.  This is my favorite view on this path.

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Did you wonder where I was last week?

I almost wrote to you – just to let you know.

But I really figured you surmised that I was big-time into interviews and completely absorbed in prep work.

And guess what?

On Thursday….I was offered my dream job.

To say that I am over-the-top excited for the challenge and grateful for this Second Act Career is a huge understatement.

So now, I am spending this week curtailing my summer tutoring schedule and preparing to return to a career that I gave up when my older son was a toddler and my younger boy was a newborn.

Now on with today’s special message.

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Up Close and Personal

Joe Fox: It wasn’t… personal.
Kathleen Kelly: What is that supposed to mean? I am so sick of that. All that means is that it wasn’t personal to you. But it was personal to me. It’s *personal* to a lot of people. And what’s so wrong with being personal, anyway?
Joe Fox: Uh, nothing.
Kathleen Kelly: Whatever else anything is, it ought to begin by being personal.

 

~From You’ve Got Mail starring Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan~

One of the best movies ever….

 I’ve watched this movie too many times to count.

A classic.

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Should you take things personally?

Over the past month, I had multiple interviews with two different companies.  During one of these intense sessions, I was asked a powerful question.

Immediately upon hearing the question – I knew I would share my answer with you as soon as possible.

I was so nervous during these interviews – here’s a paraphrase of the wording….“Do you have the tendency to take things personally?”

Thinking about the logical, predictable, corporate-correct answer….I pivoted and blurted out the unfiltered, uncensored, incorrect – but very truthful answer:  “YES.  YES, I DO.”

But I qualified my response.

“Given my age and the events and circumstances of my last 5-6 years…despite my innate nature to take things personally, I do not attach BAR – bitterness, anger or resentment.”

And that is how I answered the question….and ultimately, I received the job offer.

But please note:  I believe there is a distinct difference when comments and actions are taken personally – and BAR is allowed to take hold and manifest.  Brewing and Stewing….into eternity.

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Have you heard the following admonitions in your own life?

“Don’t take it personally.”

“It’s not personal; it’s business.”

“Before I say this….I hope you don’t take it personally.”

I, like Meg Ryan’s character – Kathleen Kelly, find it ridiculous that we are suppose to take certain things personally and some not.  Who’s suppose to decide for us ….what we should or should not take personally?

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So why write this to you on my first day back at my writing desk?

Because I am guessing that you, too, have been chided when you take conversations and experiences – personally.

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Do you remember during my early posting….the impetus for launching My Written Thoughts? 

Simply stated, I wanted to share things in my life that worked well for me.  And I wanted to disclose how I chose to tackle the troubles and travails of recent years, so just maybe, you might avoid some of my pitfalls.  That’s all.

With that said, I posted one of my favorite articles from MWT (to a new audience) which I thought might be helpful with new, fresh ideas and innovative solutions….well, almost immediately the negative comments started popping up.

Was it personal?  You bet it was. Very personal.

If we are intellectually honest, everything is truly personal.  We just have the choice to NOT get mad, offended, or hurt.

It’s taken me way too long to come to that conclusion.

And as my regular readers fully know, if something in my life works well for me….I’m going to share it with you.  That’s what ‘blog’ friends do for each other…even at the expense of bad, public feedback.

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So grateful that you are a reader.

And when I do post on this site or any website….my only intention is to spread ideas and strategies that happened to work out in my world.

And yes, I’m sending my words via this blog to you…..to be taken personally.