Is this real life?

I attended a supervisor training workshop the other day at work and our General Manager said something that didn’t really resonate until I visited the theme park as a “typical guest” the yesterday.

“Wherever you are, be there”

Sounds simple enough, but I didn’t realize how difficult this concept really was for some people until I paid closer attention to my fellow theme park employees who actually work on the front lines of things. Being back of the house allows one’s self to relax and reflect on your situation more so than when you’re stuck in front of the guests’ eye day in and day out.

Some employees really were “there”. They had big smiles on their faces, they were talking to guests, saying “Have a great day” and showing a vested interest in the guests’ satisfaction.

Others, like an employee named Justin, simply wasn’t “there” at all. Coming to the end of the night and a long day of work, I’m sure, Justin may have been tired and ready to go home and relax, but he still had about 45 minutes left to his day of providing “treasure memories” and he accomplished anything but that for me and my friends.

If you could simply take my word for it, I was having a TOP 5 Best life experiences moment that night and I felt like nothing could bring me down, that is until I took my seat in the Viper roller coaster toward the end of our little adventure. A senseless, facetious comment directed toward the operators of the ride about my seat restraint being broken because none of them would lock yet apparently sent Justin into a raging spiral of hate and angst toward my friends and I. Whether his energy clashed with ours or he just plain was pissed off at the world, Justin had it out for our happiness, and he wasn’t about to take any prisoners.

I may note, luckily nothing could have brought me down last night so this was more of an observational, enlightening experience for myself.

Justin began making rude comments with a condescending tone, such as “Is that tight enough for ya?!” and “You having fun now?!” over and over. Cursing, bad energy and hatred it seemed, filled this guy’s voice not only initially, but as we were about to get off the ride as well as if he needed to drown out any lingering bit of joy we have experienced while on the ride after his first outburst.

You’re at amusement park, filled with lights, rides, games and stuffed animals surrounded by fried and sugary food that would normally be banned by your parental units but are now being force fed to you at exorbitant prices all while enjoying entertaining shows, fireworks and the intoxicating atmosphere that is hard not to tap into while at a place like this. How can you be in a bad mood? You simply can’t until something goes wrong. And the fastest way to have something go wrong at an amusement park— in my experiences (and I’ve had many), an employee not enjoying their job, let alone one seeking out to eliminate any bit of enjoyment anyone else may have.

IT’S NOT RIGHT I SAY!

So to Justin and all the other people not “there”, take yourself away from all the stresses of life—homework, the nagging girlfriend, pressure from parents, money, texting, whatever, and start putting all your attention to what you have chosen to do at that point in time. If you’re at work at an amusement park, or anywhere else, be at work and do what you need to do to succeed at your job and accomplish what you were hired to do. If you’re out on a date or hanging out with a friend, put you’re phone away and stop texting 10 other people who aren’t with you and starting spending time with the people you’re actually with without worrying about what the rest of the world is doing right then.

Wherever you are, be there… people will notice, and you’ll worry less, you’ll accomplish more, you’ll be happier and you just may learn a thing or two about yourself or a close friend, or heck, something from or about a complete stranger…because why not do everything you can to expand your reach into the minds of those that surround you everyday, or even those that make a single appearance into your life for just a moment. Every person has a purpose in shaping the rest of your life and you don’t want to miss out on such an opportunity because you were in a pissy mood at work or staring down at your phone the whole time.

I need to go re-watch the Hangover. PEACE!