Goofy Never Gets Better

I have had the privilege of working in a fabulous profession for over twenty years.  It has allowed me to work in a field bringing together my primary interests, passions, and skills.  It has also provided income to raise three children and invest in my future. I have been blessed to meet so many people and their relatives in my county and their families.  The families referred their friends to me and it has been such a joy to work together with them through their financial endeavors, saving money, or building a new home.  The challenges of the day-to-day processes behind the meetings usually meant working long hours and high stress to meet unlimited goals, industry changes, and timelines. It also meant countless internal and industry meetings and continuing education.  Engaging in local community events, sponsoring community activities such as: serving on boards or committees for the town I live in, the Department of Social Services, the local real estate board, and forming my own women's networking group. They were not only a time investment but, an opportunity to get to know so many people.  I  consider myself quite accepting of others and rather tolerant of many human behaviors and have acquired patience and humility.  My primary job has not been a '9 to 5' position and required working many evenings and weekends.  The sacrifice of family for work and for an income required changing the thought processes and finding balance although that wasn't necessarily achieved at all times but, I certainly did my best.  With time, I began to draw a few deductions about some quirky aspects of human behaviors.  Behaviors such as: why people run late or miss appointments, or how desperate some people are and need to talk with someone, or how people make empty promises or procrastinate about commitments.  There was also a rather interesting trait I found to be true about a transaction or an individual.  When something started off kilter it just never seemed to right itself.  MEANING, if documentation I needed was delayed or information I needed was wrong, or the persons attitude was mean or demeaning or rude toward me, it remained that way throughout the transaction.  Sometimes, it continued even after my job was done. And, those people would be sure to remind you of the issue every time you met or spoke with them.  They couldn't let it pass.  They wouldn't give it up.  I coined this as 'goofy never gets better.'  I could tell from the earliest infraction I was looking at a rough road ahead.  I knew I was going to need to be extra vigilant and firm and would need to work longer hours because of these issues.  I also knew I had to change my mindset and prepare as much as possible to have communication with these people and practiced on my delivery.  It wasn't always easy.  I learned fewer words were better than lengthy conversations which, made me feel awkward and may have either fell on deaf ears or incited anger and frustration from my clients.  I also learned the delivery of bad news should be as swift as good news.  Delaying bad news had a lingering impact on me and my mental well-being.  Some things in life of a derogatory nature can have long-term debilitating affects.  Recognize the problem.  Understand the situation.  Determine the path.  Execute.  And sometimes you just have to realize:  GOOFY NEVER GETS BETTER!