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Behind Closed Doors

Sorry for missing yesterday, I couldn't get my internet to work.  I am back online today though!

For the past couple of days, I have been thinking.  How much do you know about the people you work with everyday.  So much conflict at work arises from jealously, she gets more face time with the big boss, he gets better work.  I think if we knew more about the challenges that our co-workers face in their everyday lives, or how hard they work behind the scenes that we never see, we would be much less jealous.  Too often people face personal crisis and challenge alone.  Too often, the truly hard workers do it silently.  Too often, we only see a fraction of what is going on with our coworkers, yet we make judgments based on that very small piece of the puzzle.  Before you covet another's place in the world, take a closer look at what you think they have.  Once you see the bigger picture, you may find that your world is not so bad and you may get along with them much better.  In the meantime, remember that you are only privy to a small part of the story and withhold your jealously and judgement until you know more.

What piece of the bigger picture do you withhold from others?  Is it a personal challenge you face at home but that influences all aspects of your life?  Mentoring and coaching you do selflessly for others only to see them advance ahead of you?  Are you the one that people want to be or do you long for a different place?  Is there something you can share with others that will actually help them understand you?  What would it take for you to be willing to share (or would you ever)?  When you face conflict or an uncomfortable situation, look for a discrepancy in information first, it may be an easy fix.

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