My tendency to want to be liked by everyone, to be understood, and be accepted by everybody makes m...
In regards to Lionheart777's interesting reply, I believe that there are a good majority of us that "are people pleasers" (as well as those who also want to please God {or some frm of a "supreme being"]. I am still a person who is very much this way, even to the point of others taking advantage of me sometimes (or getting "played" or getting "manipped" [manipulated]). Some people just don't understand that being good
to others does hurt at times and sacrifices to ourselves (usually, in a manner of feeling short-changed or doing without) while the other person gains without so much as a second thought (except for the considerate ones who actually give a 2-second "thank you"- only to forget in the future). We get used to the realization that "I have met 'human nature'" in that way. I can only articulate insofar that sometimes doing the right thing (even to save a life) results in getting emotionally bashed for it, in spite of the noblest attempts to put forth good tools as an example for others (including the act), in which others pick it apart and look for the bad in it. I have had countless times when this has happened.
Example of a true experience that happened to me describing what had occurred here: In early 2006, some eleven years ago, I was
working far away for a huge company in a retail situation. I was on the "safety team". A friend and co-worker of mine named Todd had
been showing signs of illness and appeared to be at death's door (he was still working, though he was ashen and apparently very ill-
he could not afford to leave work, even in his condition). He worked on the building maintenance section of the team. I was on the sales
team. I was not in management, although having been there over 3 years, I was considering this and had previous supervisory experience as early as age 19.
In order to assess his situation, late that night, as he was coming into work, I pulled him into the office real quick for a one-on-one discussion. I asked him how he was doing, if he could work that night, and what was wrong. I expressed concern for him and told him.
He told me he could not afford to leave work- it would put him financially short, there is no extra money, and his wife is about to leave him for working on a job that endangers his health. His illness was caused by the floor strippers used by a particular company, no face mask, and no adequate ventilation. He said fans did not help and the machine kept spraying the fumes in his face,
He coughed so hard (like a person with emphysema), I said, "Bless you." I asked him why he did not have a mask. He said, "no money to get one." He also said, "the company should provide them, but they do not." So, I told him I need to get back to you as soon as I ask around.
I talked to the safety committee and the store manager and got verbal (and short after, written) permission to acquire the mask from an outside source (which was a 90% savings and still did the job). I bought a few of them (needed to do some work around my home and one or two to spare). So, I gave the management a receipt for one mask to get reimbursed for the cost (about $20 for one)- and all I asked for was $20 for the one Todd got- not the full $80.00 I had paid. The store manager kept my money and lied and said I failed to get permission. I felt good in one way that I saved a man's life and his marriage (and his health improved), but got the money lost totally by the manipulating and the wrangling.of that manager (who perceived I went over his head, even though I asked and got permission first). I did it out of good conscience anyways because as a human being, breathing is important (and his lungs were exposed to very toxic chemicals in the floor stripper), the company failed Todd to provide him equipment, and he was about to lose his wife over the matter. I was happy to save a man and his marriage, but not the way I was treated for it. The man told me later, after I lost my job (and this incident was one of the things that led to this happening), that "I really appreciate everything you did for me, but I did not like the way I got my situation handled." I believe he did recognize what happened to me and thought it stank about their treatment of me. Although I basically got screwed and sacrificed my own money to help, I still walked out with a good conscience- walking tall
