Are You Really Going to Let Bad Body Betty and Bad Breath Bo Cause You to Lose Your Job?

Do you remember when you were younger and the pastor would say something like, "When the people on your job are [this]...[that]....." and people would shout a really loud "AMEN!" Well I never really understood the extra loud "AMEN!"...... UNTIL I started working... and now I find myself shouting a loud "amen."

I can remember my first job ever, when I worked at a movie theater. I was about 17. I was a typical 17 year old, high school student. I didn't really know how to handle situations, and I had a mouth that would cause me to go off on the pope, president, priest, or whomever I disagreed with. One day a coworker and I had a disagreement. Instead of talking it out, she ran to the boss and told a story that was so out of left field, I started to question myself like, "Wait, is that REALLY what happened?!" The boss came to me, saying that maybe I should take the rest of the day to "cool off." Cool off, you say? I did the opposite and heated up! I was so upset that my boss automatically believed my co-worker that I lost all self control, snapped on my boss, took off my work shirt, threw it at her, and told her that she can have that little job because I QUIT! Then I stormed out, only to have to call my mom and sit on the stoop and wait for my ride because I didn't have a car.(Some exit, right?!) The minute I did that, I was like what the fudge have I done! Now how am I going to get that Letterman jacket?! Dang, I let Bad Body Betty cause me to lose me job. Correction, well, my temper caused it, but you are catching, catch, or caught my drift!

I don't care where you work, who you are, or what you do. there will ALWAYS be at least one person on the job who annoys you, makes you want to snap, or causes you to bow your head in the middle of the office and say a quick prayer. That's not just at work, but life in general. So, you have to find a way to cope with it. Now, the older I become, the more I'm beginning to realize that I cannot "go off" or "snap" on everybody who makes me mad. I mean, I could do that, but I'd be one broke, jobless, young lady! Yeah I could snap and get some personal satisfaction, but then what?! Exactly! I'll be standing there looking crazy thinking one thing, "[explicative]! What am I going to do now?! I have bills!"

All I have to say is this, don't you let anybody interfere with your money. No, no, no! Don't you let Bad Body Betty or Bad Breath Bo cause you to lose your job! You go outside, take you a walk, or call KathyAnne, Bobby Ray, Keisha, or whoever and tell them all of the stuff you want to tell that person at that job who is working your last nerve! Then you walk back in that office like nothing is bothering you. My mother told me to "kill 'em with kindness". Hmm, well that's something I'm still learning, SLOOOOWWWWLLLLYYYYYY but surely. At the end of the day, EVERY situation we face is meant to teach us a lesson. Whether or not we learn that lesson is entirely up to us, and until we learn that lesson, we will constantly be faced with it. That person on the job who works every nerve in your body could be there to teach you self-restraint, patience, or whatever it is that you need to work on. Different people have different things they need to work on and situations are catered to as such. So, when you find yourself upset, think about it. Is that person really worth you NOT getting that virgin weave, J's, designer bag, car note money, rent, etc. Psssh, heck no! You better bless him/her with a prayer and keep it moving!

Word of Advice from Jay-Z: Earn Your Spot

With his new album dropping, Jay-Z has been popping up at a few radio stations doing interviews. I was watching Power 105's interview with Jay-Z and was inspired. Now, if you know anything about this man, you know that he is genius. I don't care if you don't like his music, call him a devil worshiper, camel, or whatever. Like him or not, you can't help but respect him. To come from absolutely NOTHING and not only make it out of the projects but to make yourself a mogul is incredible. To be a rapper is one thing, but to venture out, create a brand, and dibble and dabble in various things is a whole other ball game. That gives a whole new meaning to the saying, "It's levels to this".

One of the things in the interview that stuck out to me was when he said, "You gotta earn your spot. It's not given."

When I heard that I ran all through my apartment and almost scuffed the floors up while tap dancing in my church heels! You think someone woke up one morning and said, "Hey Jay-Z, I want to get you out of these projects and make you rich. Let's go."? Uhhh, no! He had to work to get to where he is. Whatever you want, you will have to work for it. There's no other way around it. It will not be given to you. If you think you will not have to work and that it will be easy, you are sadly mistaken. Many times you hear how people say that our generation is spoiled. We want everything given to us, always whining! "Why can't I do this? Why can't I do that? I thought he/she was going to help me!" Just hush! The sooner you realize that this world and people, (no matter how much they tell you), owe you nothing, the better off you will be. You can sit there and wait for Ricky to pass your demo to that producer and put in a good word for you if you want to. That same demo will still be sitting on Ricky's desk with old pizza boxes, months later.

The point that I'm trying to make is that if you want something, go get it. Don't sit around and wait for somebody else to put in a good word for you or "put you on." Yeah, Louanne said she would try to get you on at Nissan or wherever. That's cool. HOWEVER, in the meantime, don't just sit around and wait for Louanne. Sitting there saying, "I know my girl Louanne is going to come through. No need for me to even look for other jobs." Say what now?! No! You do what you need to do. Even if that means you going to Nissan yourself and checking on your application.  Don't be so dependent on somebody else that you stop doing what it is that you have to do. Don't look for handouts or try to take the easy way out. Stay focused, work hard, and make it happen. Yeah what you want may be hard, but it's not impossible. Like Bill Cosby said, decide that you want it more than you are afraid of it. Don't let fear or others stop you from doing what it is that you want to do. I don't care who you are, where you came from, what you look like, or what you want to do, if you truly believe in yourself and are willing to do what it takes, you will eventually get to where you're trying to go. Just remember, great things don't come easily.

So, keep working hard so that you can not only say "It's levels to this" but also live it.


**The saying, "It's levels to this," refers to a song by the rapper Meek Mill, emphasizing the fact that when you acquire a certain amount of fame things change.



*Photo courtesy of Google