President Franklin D. Roosevelt said this in 1945, yet I think it is still relevant 69 years later, today. Being a communications major myself, you would think I would have a good understanding of how relationships and interpersonal communication work... wait, anyone could understand this right? After all, the communication field is supposedly the laughingstock of the academic community. (Don't get me started on this, it can wait for another day.) I have always been fascinated with interpersonal communication and the effects relationships have on us. When it comes to understanding these, it is sometimes so much of a no brainer that we don't realize it. The past week I had one of the those "no brainer" moments so I have to share.
This past month I have been offered two different jobs on my college campus and I accepted both of them. This means that it is time to be done with my lifeguarding job at the Marshall YMCA. Being a lifeguard for 7 years and working at the Y for 1.5 of those you would think I would be thrilled to be done lifeguarding, but oddly I haven't been feeling that way. When I realized that I needed to put my 2 weeks notice in at the Y, I was hesitant to. I was confused by my own feelings until the "no brainer" moment hit me when I was supposed to be telling my boss that I am not going to work there anymore, instead I told her that I can't be scheduled anymore but I would still like to sub. I could decide to hate working at the Y from sitting on a chair for hours on end, or having to discipline kids in swimming lessons, but I don't. I love my job because of the great relationships I have with my co-workers and boss. They are the reason I go to work everyday.
Compared to jobs I have had in the past, the Y is a place that I have felt welcome and a part of since my first day on staff. My boss is a huge reason for this. She has created a collaborative, fun, and professional environment for us lifeguards, which makes it easy for us to get to know one another. I know for a fact that if it wasn't for the relationships I have with my co-workers and boss I would have left, just like I did at a job I had before working at the Y.
I like to think of my "no brainer" moments as a reminder to reflect on what I just realized. So this week I have decided to be more mindful of the importance of relationships. More importantly I am going to decide what relationships have a positive impact on me and to strengthen those, as well as decide what ones that are negative and to work to make those better or to let them go.
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