When it comes to expressing our emotions, some of us are reserved while others go out of their way to ensure everyone knows how their feeling. I am in the subdued camp. But I enjoy observing a very expressive person. This led to my feeling animated cartoon.
If I had the time and animation skills, I could see this cartoon as an animated GIF. Maybe the girl’s arm would sway back and forth. Or she would lean into her nemesis. Alas, that is not in my wheelhouse today.
There are so many opinions out there. One side is determined the other side is crazy or stupid. The other side is convinced anyone who doesn’t think like them is off their rocker. Can one side truly understand the other in the current climate?
When I drew this cartoon, I was the parent of teens and working with kids. I realized kids can be just as puzzled at the way adults act. Parents frequently wonder where their kids are coming from. Guess what? Kids may think the same as well.
We may not have decoder rings to figure out what someone is thinking, but we have some great tools. We can…
If you do find a decoder ring, I’m not opposed to that solution either. In fact, I think I’ll have a bowl of cereal and check if there is one at the bottom of the box.
When I drew this cartoon and posted my blog, Wilted Complaints, I was preaching to myself. Three years after this post, I got into a bad habit of complaining. I rendered myself ineffective at work because I let challenges overwhelm me. Instead of working on the problem, I would complain with colleagues about how insurmountable the odds were. Meetings weren’t effective. The planning seemed pointless. It was all because I was stuck in a complaining mode.
When tensions are high, or when we are in a situation alike a coronavirus lockdown, we all need to vent a little. If I don’t talk with my wife about what’s bugging me, it will simply build up.
The Web Economic Forum has an article on why it’s okay to vent about the coronavirus as long as it doesn’t become a habit. We are naturally going to be frustrated when things aren’t going the way we like. And very few people are excited about being in lockdown for several weeks (with the exceptions of some dogs and hermits).
I am starting to read a book entitled, The No Complaining Rule: Positive Ways to Deal With Negativity at Work by Jon Gordon. I’ll let you know about the highlights. Complaining is a habit that is too easy to start. Let’s find ways to be positive today and keep our plants from wilting.
Emotions are tricky things. We all have them. It’s how we express them that gets complicated. In the workplace, it can get even dicier.
One thing I know for sure is the use of emojis at work is still considered inappropriate in most places. A smiley face just doesn’t look right in an email discussing the next round of employee appraisals.
You can try your hand at it if you feel daring. But I have a feeling there are too many guys like the one in today’s cartoon that can’t discern when it’s appropriate to use certain emojis and to whom.
Emojis require interpretation. The sender and the receiver of a message need to be on the same page when communicating. Is the communication clear? Can a heart emoji be misinterpreted as sarcasm or a sincere love? Know your audience before you send that emoji of a pig or a cow!
I drew this for the November 2019 Church of God Newsletter.
Actually, it’s simple. It may not be easy at first. There have been times when I knew better and didn’t follow this simple way to bless others. Just yesterday, my wife had to call it to my attention that I wasn’t following this simple verse.
When I have followed it, things ran much smoother. When I haven’t it has made bad problems worse. It’s this:
Do everything without grumbling or arguing
Philippians 2:14 NIV
It’s counter-cultural no matter what culture you are a part of. We are wired, after all, to find problems. We are inclined to find issues to complain about. And it doesn’t take much to find someone who is willing to argue with you.
However, if you follow this verse, you can bless yourself as well as everyone you come in contact with today. Some days it may be hard. But it is always worth it.