Recently, an employee with a company closely related to mine retired and I kid you not, we all felt as if we’d taken off a shoe that was two sizes too small. The man was toxic, hostile, anal, and completely evil. I’ve never in my life met anyone who was so universally disliked. The day he left, most of us were humming, “Ding dong, the witch is dead” under our breaths. And the mood is so much lighter ever since then.
I’m sure everyone has come across someone like that at least once in their lives. Also, chances are we’ve all met someone who can light up a room just by entering it, and someone else who can just make you feel calm. Certain people we like right away, and others instantly irritate us. Sometimes you don’t realize what a negative or positive influence a person has upon your life until he or she is gone.
I believe we each have a certain force field that we project outward. Some of it is natural and beyond our control. Either you have charisma or you don’t.
Part of it, though, is well within our purview. No one has to be a horse’s ass. It’s a choice. I will say however, in the defense of equine posteriors the world over (most of whom seem to beat a path to my door), that the vast majority of them appear clueless as to how they are perceived. But that’s really no excuse. There are right ways and wrong ways to behave. Everyone should be treated with respect.
I honestly believe that the more positive people out there are ever mindful of their impact upon those around them. That’s the key. Unless you’re capable of thinking about how your behavior affects others, you cannot possibly aspire to be the best individual you can.
People with low self-esteem honestly don’t think they impact others. It would never occur to a selfish person to even take others into consideration. And inherently angry people are so focused on their rage that it doesn’t occur to them that their acid is spilling on those who are forced to live and work with them.
What kind of force field are you putting out? Your influence extends far beyond your physical body. Don’t be the type of person whom others are happy or relieved to see go away.
[Image credit: lapressegalactique.net]
The View from a Drawbridge 
I wonder what it is like to be one of those people…
Well, since those people rarely know that they’re those people, maybe we are and just don’t know it. My head hurts thinking about that.
They always win…