Growth

Life is about growing and moving forward. Growth is the purpose to existence. Growth is difficult and oftentimes painful. The best teacher is experience but the lessons are not always easy. 

It is the belief of every single person that the life they are living is unique to them. Yet, it is the truth of human nature that we all search fervently for connections. Connections are formed of similarities in the human experience. It is the reason the TED talks are full. 

The truth is, every life is unique but it is unique to you. There is nothing new under the sun. We look for the sameness, we chafe at it and then we strive to be different. The truth is, we cannot escape the sameness of the human nature. The more we try, the less we learn. The more we try to leave the past behind, the more we are doomed to repeat it. The more we look forward without looking back, the less we learn. 

Mistakes are a cause of embarrassment and most people rush to cower and hide. They hide their mistakes and hide from their mistakes. Mistakes are like monsters in the closet, the more you hide from them, the more power you give them over you. Face your mistakes as you would your fears. Embrace the past and learn from it. Hide from your past and repeat it. 

Just Me! 

Dichotomy of human nature

It is the innate hypocrisy
The hospitality industry. Don't you find it ironic that this industry is where you usually find the grumpiest, snarliest, most unpleasant people ever? I always look at snarky wait staff or rude management and wonder what happened to make them as surly as they are.

Being in the industry myself, it is a constant battle to remind oneself that people don't set out to be idiotic and ruin your day. Sometimes, 'stupid is as stupid does'. 

There are also different cultures at play and the world is becoming a smaller place. The fight to keep one's identity is becoming militant. 65 million years ago, we decided that there was safety in being the same, today we are all about celebrating the differences in each other. Of course, that means when you see someone wearing the same dress as you, you either bawl your eyes out or try and rip the dress of them! 

So many set out to be different, individual, difficult. Where every rule is a suggestion and every price a negotiation.

It is the dichotomy of human nature that a customer is not considered cheap for asking for a discount but a restaurant is considered cheap for not giving one. Never mind the effort and the cost that went into the service and food. Rarely if ever does a guest consider that it is in fact rude to ask for a discount. The truth is, asking for a discount devalues the service provided. It is akin to highway robbery!

Just Me!