I am having a hard time with this one. I know that I do have unrealistic expectations at times and with things could be better than they are, but some seen very realistic to me. Such as.. It it too high of an expectation to think that most people have an average intelligence? I'm far from being a professor on anything, but I do not know if it is this area, or the human race in general anymore, but I really get stressed out when people act so stupid. What is a realistic expectation? I know of people who make more money in a year than I could even think about making in over 10 and they just don't have any common sense. I am not sure if it bothers me because they try to act like they know so much and then the ignorance comes out, when they just could have said "I don't know". I am not saying people are stupid and I am superior and I do not want to come across that way. I am just wondering if anyone understands where I am coming from? It is hard to even find someone who will take pride in their job around here. Many people do not want to do anything but ride the clock. They do not care to even try. I am not talking about trying to be perfect, just to try. I see way too many times the whole attitude "I want to get paid, but you mean I have to actually do something?" Then in the business I work for people come in and want you to do a service for them and you get the whole//"You mean I have to pay for it?" attitude. I want to ask them, "Would you like to work for hours or even all day on something and not even get a dime for it?" I'm sorry, I just really get angry about the whole thing. I also have never waitressed for a living but I have 2 sisters who have. I have seen people who can't figure out why they need to tip. "They get paid to do their job right?, at least minimum wage right?" Wrong... $2. something and hour if they are lucky! Even if it was min. wage, would you want to have their job and survive off of it? I'm sorry for getting carried away, but what am I supposed to expect from people? I feel if I expect the worst, that just makes me really negative, where as I am expecting, I think average, and I am getting stressed. Please help.

Jen

Well Jen,
I too wonder why there are so many stupid people out there in the world! (lol) You know so many people have no common sense. But I guess we have to step back and say to ourselves "ok, this is beyond my control, they probably don't know any better" And just let it go, regardless of how hard it is to. I know some people who so smart when it comes to their work but when you look at their personal lives you just have to say "what in the world are they thinking!"

I just started this lesson this week and you know it will probably be hard to let go of these expectations that we have of other people.

Did you ever hear that comedian with the song "Here's your sign?" There have been so many times when I wanted to look at some one and say exactly that! lol

Maybe I should start making light of it and laugh because laughter is the best medicine!

Take care

I know exactly what you mean, guys. There are lots of people I would love to say "Here's your sign!" to. I know I can be a little thick-headed at times, but at least I'm TRYING! It really cheeses me when people want all you can give them for FREE. No effort for them in jobs, relationships, child-rearing. I used to try to work hard enough to make up for everyone else's disappointments. Now I'm more realistic. I've got it narrowed down to my family and close friends and relatives. People will chew you up and spit you out and when they're done with you, they'll go looking for someone else to use.

I like Bill Engvall's humor on the subject. Maybe we could start our own list of "Here's Your Sign".....

Here's one -
A guy called the office here at the MWC and said we made a mistake because he absolutely did not order this program. He said "I would never spend that kind of money to improve myself!" (true story!).... here's your sign.

Have a good day and a good laugh,
Tammy

What you're saying sounds all too familiar to me! I am a waitress and when i first started, if i had a mean customer i would get so angry and it would ruin my whole night because i would keep thinking over and over again about how mean, rude, ignorant, etc. they were. It took a while to realize that some people in this world are just jerks, and there's no changing that. The only way we can truely be better people is to not let it bother us. Finally (after 3 years ) i've learned to just think, "wow that guy was a complete jerk..." and then i realize he'll prolly always be like that and me worrying about it isn't going to change it. So i move on and forget about it. Once i realized this, i became a far less angry person! I hope this helps you...good luck!

Thanks Guys,

I really needed that. And the whole here's your sign thing..I just love it. I did not think of even taking it in that way. I just saw him a few months ago in that blue collar comedy tour special. If I can keep lighthearted about it, I will try to remember to do that and like you said start my own "here's you sign" list. I have heard some pretty good one's that would have worked if I could just remember exactly what the customer said. At least that way I can find the humor in it and then share it with others. I really have to learn to not let things get to me.

Thanks again,
Jen

dreamwalking, I think you were talking about me (what was I thinking?)!

Thanks, Bakedpears! You made me laugh out loud!

A few more to put a smile on our faces:

http://www.stargazersrealm.com/MAIN/funnies/heresyoursign.html

LOL-
Thank you Suey for sharing that site- it was great!

After reading your messages I feel like I found soulmates . I too have wondered about people's intelligence and common sense. I've gotten puzzled, annoyed, and angry. This has gotten in my craw for years.

Several years ago I used to work for a telephone company in their business accounts. I did customer service. A pizzeria owner called annoyed because we interrupted his telephone service for lack of payment...$250. He exclaimed, "It's only $250!" I was like . Then internally I was getting because of his utter stupidty, lack of common sense, and puzzlement how can such a person own a business. (I later told coworkes this guy couldn't build a business with Leggo.) I professionally replied, "So if I ate in your pizzeria, ran up a bill of $250 and said 'It's only $250' you would..." He cut me off: "No, no, no. That's different.

The long and short was that he didn't get his phone service back unless he paid in full.

I've been dealing with this from the Christian perspective. A tape by Joyce Meyer has been helping me to realize not all people think the way I do, value courtesy, have a high level of common sense, etc. I've notice a change over me in the past six months. Though I must admit I'd like to find out the dog owners who let their K9s do their business in front of my apartment building, and personally return the favor.

yeah 2corinth-
There are so many times I have felt that same way.

P.S.- I like Joyce Meyer too I just bought a new book of hers and I can't wait to read it!

Hi Jen and all the others!
I tend to go through spurts where I get frustrated with the fact that common sense is not so common. I mean, I could create the longest list of people whose mentality I don't respect: the President of the US, neighbors, people at school, adults at work, store owners in my neighborhood, etc. So, when I am feeling ill that the world is full of people who perpetuate stupidity, hatred, etc. I play "Where's Waldo?" and try to formulate a mental list of the people I DO respect and the people I DO think make the world better than it is. Those people, the Waldo's in the crowd of disappointing creatures, are the ones I try to surround myself with. If I can't because my job requires I interact with the non-Waldo's, then I humbly keep my mouth shut and realize I don't pick these people to be in my life. They just are in my life to challenge my good side and force me to be the better person. Not a bad thing to master.
cheers,
peacewithin

Thanks suey..I really enjoyed that site..I really needed that!

Like I said before.. I decided to start my own "here's your sign" notations. In the business I am in I sometimes forget though that there is a lot the people do not know is kind of obvious to me, so I do have to remember to be kind. Here are a couple of examples though..

My mom, I dearly love her, but she sometimes is the master of stating the obvious. She will call and I will answer the phone and the first thing out of her mouth is "Your home huh?" .. One of these days I will remember to tell her .."nope..I just got my hands on the newest technology..I have an interactive answering machine.. how you like it so far?" ... here's your sign.

The other week I had a customer come in and ask why he was loosing so many channels on his c-band sat. dish. I told him that they were changing the broadcast from analog to digital and he would need to get a new receiver. He asked why and I advised him that it was cheaper for them to rebroadcast in digital. He stated "well that doesn't make any sense, how can that be cheaper? All analog is, is they are sending it out on FM band wave" I tried to explain to him nicely but what I really wanted to say was "when was the last time you picked up a satallite transmission of HBO on your car radio?" ... here's your sign.

I already went through this posting a couple of times finding typing and spelling errors, I'm sure you may find some more. I need to issue my own self a sign.

Jen