Thursday, July 11, 2013

With A Little Help From My Friends

I’ve had a best friend since second grade. Now it may not be the same best friend but I’ve always had one since I was seven. I seem to get a new one during different phases of my life. It happens. One of you moves away or goes to another school or it could be that you just grow apart. Still, I love how my close friends have been there for momentous occasions in my life. And yes, at times my significant others became my best friend. But lately, I’ve been finding myself becoming a loner. Not on purpose, but as adults we all have busy lives and sometimes schedules don’t always match up. When ALL of your female friends are married with children, you have to work around them.  I still have my guy friends though, and they are just as cool. The only thing is that I can’t talk to them about everything. But they’re still cool.

When I first started my job five years ago, there was something missing. I looked around and saw no one close to me in age. No females in their 20’s?!?!  How was I going to survive? Who would I email? Who would get pop culture references and random movie quotes???  Everyone was in their 40’s and up. So I kept my head down and ignored everyone. I would put my headphones on and just get work done. But I began to get lonely at work. I began wishing one of my friends would get a job there just so I could dine with someone at lunch.

In one of my earlier blog posts “All They Can Do Is Say No”, I revealed about taking chances and moving to different departments within the company.  I’m not sure how it started but by my 3rd year there I began taking breaks with an older woman.  We would go for walks on our breaks (we still do) and vent or talk about things going on in our lives.  I figure, why not? Let me try this out and really give it a shot.  The age difference would provide some insight.  I’m glad I did.  The woman had a lot of inside information since she had been with the company for a long time. Then I branched out and started talking to all the older ladies in my section. When our department moved I found a coworker closer to me in age (by this time I’m in my thirties).



I’m so glad I did this.  It has made work FUN. I come to the older ladies anytime I have a dilemma that could use their expertise and once a woman sewed the hem on my pants because she had a sewing kit and I ripped them somehow.  And with my young friend, I have someone to instant message about regarding clothes and other girly things.  We also have men in our department and in my old department we didn't have any.  I notice a huge difference with having men on the team. Women can be emotional creatures.  The men balance us out a lot and I love hearing their suggestions. We once had a video conference regarding my new haircut.  I had a heart to heart talk with one of my male coworkers and it felt good to get some things off of my chest.  I’ll email him for advice on some things and sometimes I’ll tell him when he is being too harsh on other employees (he’s a lead).

During this loner phase, I’ve found that I have really grown close to my coworkers.  I love them and their different personalities and I can't imagine not having them now.  Recently, we gave out yearbook awards.  Everyone got a certificate and what they were voted as.  I was voted Class Clown.  There was Coolest Employee, Best Dressed, Best Dancer, etc. etc. etc.

I love the social version of me a lot better than the quiet employee that I used to be.  I’m so late on this revelation but it is true, friends are all around us, we just have to be open to them. 

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