Perspective

I've been quite observant the past few days. Blame it on not feeling well and wanting to keep my mind occupied with anything that is not my throat, head, stomach, or, well, anything.

ANYWAY

I noticed that people are very interesting to just observe. I've known this for a while, but haven't done in. Last week I was able to be an observer at a sales meeting, there were people from all over the US there. People really are quite different from across this nation. Tension and high stress can be observed from people from the east coast, even tension between one another (NYC vs. Boston). Southern people seem to be much more relaxed in terms of stress, and less tension as a general rule, but there seems to be a lack of trust among others. People from the west coast were harder to identify as they seemed to fit into the mid-western role, but that could be because many of the west coast people I observed were originally mid-westerners.

I realize that this could come off as stereotyping, but I am not stating that all people from these regions show these traits, I am simply stating that of the population I was able to observe on Thursday and Friday, I noticed these common traits among them.

I also noticed that some people really enjoy the "rah, rah, go team" spirit within a corporation, while others just smile and nod at it, waiting to get back to work. Having both of these types of people in the room together was fascinating! Some people couldn't wait to get out of the room so that they could make phone calls, respond to emails, and just check in. Other individuals couldn't wait to get out so that they could move onto another "rah rah" event, and still others just stayed behind, trying to get more "rah rah" spirit going.

I'm glad that I'm an observer in all of this, and do not need to fit into these categories. I also am glad that I am an East Coast transplant, but am able to look at other East Coasters and see their stress level mirrors that of my own. Just because I'm a transplant, doesn't mean I've lost my sense of stress!

Stress, interesting that I bring that up. I have been feeling off for quite a few days now. It started with my throat, then head, then stomach, and body aches, and what not. Today at work I was asked if I'm sick sick or stress sick. I thought about this statement...I'm both. I'm sick sick due to stress and I was stress sick which has run me down enough to make me sick sick. It's a horrible cycle that I hope to remedy...once I'm able to get better.