While wearing this hat:
Looking out on this view:
Walking these dogs:
I thought about the three years I spent working in corporate America.
Normally when I walk Talia and Peja, my thought process is a little more serene. What triggered the thought of my former life (stay with me here) was when I noticed how my new hat muffles all sound while amplifying my breathing, heartbeat and footsteps. I was kind of digging it. There was a rhythm to it. Well, you know how thoughts go, the next thing I knew I had cherry picked a memory from three years ago when a psychologist told me I was a “Highly Sensitive Person.” One of the perks of working for the company I did was the buffet of benefits they offered (a definite bonus for the sacrifice of living for the weekend). And what’s funny, is that I am not sure I would have needed the “wellness” portion if I weren’t working in that kind of environment. A few years of 8 to 5 and off to therapy I eventually went! There was something about 2 weeks vacation, acronyms, fluorescent lighting and cubicles that put me on edge.
There was a joke around the office about me. Each January when our P.T.O. (paid time off) renewed I was always in the “negative” from the previous year. My co-workers gave me grief, called me Miss Loyalty (sarcasm anyone?). I took it all in stride, I had always been a big believer in vacation and personal days. Can you blame me? Isn’t life more fun when you are on your own watch?
Not everything about corporate America crushed my soul. I had a lot of character building experiences, was taught valuable marketing and sales skills and if I needed to I could probably give a hell of a 30 second “commercial” at a networking luncheon. Don’t worry, I will never telemarket you, I always surfed the Internet during that portion of my “Daily Sales Activity.”
Where is this post going? The point is that while rummaging through memories while walking the dogs today, I realized how grateful I am to be “highly sensitive” and how much I prefer striking out on my own to the security of a paycheck and free therapy!
What did they say around the office on Wednesday’s? Oh yeah, Happy “Hump” Day!
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