Well, it wasn’t actually a water cooler.  But it was a quick conversation in a break area at work . . .

Everyone, at one time or another, feels worn out.  It might be an unusually stressful period as you try to overcome high hurdles along the path to a goal. Maybe you’re dealing with an unexpected turn of events prompted by someone you thought was on your team. Or, you might be facing a downturn in your overall health and wellbeing.  Even the most positive person can have a day during which doubt creeps in.

Some moments, we all wonder, “Am I really making any difference at all?”

Today, I’m thankful for an unexpected but timely reminder that, yes, I do.

As we were both getting a refill for our water bottles, a longtime co-worker started laughing out loud and said something along the lines of:

I just had some of our new people sit with me for observation. I tell every one of them how years ago my attendance wasn’t too good, I was placed on a final warning and I had to come to your office to talk about it. [chuckle] You told me to sit down and relax, we were just going to talk. [another chuckle] And, here I am, still here! [more chuckling] But, I’ve never forgotten that meeting.

It has been about five years since the conversation she references.  She’s been promoted since then and is one of our strongest customer service reps.  I can’t remember the last time her attendance was an issue.

I’m thankful she remembers our conversation, that she shares her experience and lessons learned with our new staff, and that she shared her thoughts with me this week.

I’m thankful to know that for her, I made a positive difference.

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What are you thankful for?

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