THE GOOD STUFF

Why did Jet Blue flight attendant Steven Slater’s wild job exit last week [insert Paul Simon’s ‘Slip Slidin’ Away’ here] capture the imagination of the entire country? Are you kidding?! Who hasn’t dreamt of leaving a “job from hell” in a really dramatic fashion — especially those who work with the ever-entitled public!

I’m flashing back [insert Wayne’s World flashback music here] to my college summer job at Walt Disney World. I worked on the It’s a Small Worldattraction [insert ‘It’s a Small World’ song here]. Well one of the rotations was stroller control — probably the most unhappy job at the “happiest place in the world.” Families would drop off strollers in an assigned area and cast members had to create order out of stroller chaos. A fellow worker placed a sign on the employee side of a secret entrance that read, “Welcome to Stroller Hell.” While posting that little sign must’ve felt fabulous, it was not looked upon favorably by Mickey, and the employee was promptly fired.

Damn Those Consequences
A cartoon in the Dallas Morning News recently had a man sliding down the escape chute to find himself at the end of an unemployment line. Although we can dream, acting on our frustrations could lead to bad consequences, or in the case of Steven Slater, a reality show. Both are remarkably unappealing to most people.

So Before You Deploy the Emergency Slide, Try One of These Ideas…

• Go on a Secret Mission. Grab a clipboard. Go for a 2-3 minute power walk around your building. A physical break can provide a mental break as well.
• Create a smile file. Include cards, happy letters, cartoons and stories that can shift your mood positively.
• Tell everyone you are in good mood for the first 2 hours of the day. No matter what happens, it doesn’t bother you because “you’re in a really good mood!”
• Surround yourself with funny friends.
• Journal out your anger and then rip the paper to shreds.
• Ask for help when you need it.
• BOOGIE: Be Outstanding Or Get Involved Elsewhere.

Why Can’t Everyone Just Get Along?
There’s a Facebook group called, “Be kinder than necessary, because everyone you meet is fighting some sort of battle” [insert ‘Let There Be Peace On Earth’ song]. You never know what people are going through that makes them behave the way they do. Learning to handle the small stressful moments in your life will help you manage the big stressful ones better. Before you SNAP [insert ‘Take This Job and Shove It’ song] take a moment to breathe, make up a story about the annoying person’s past and daydream about deploying the emergency slide — without acting on it! You may not love your job, but hey, in this economy, a paycheck is a good thing.