There is a woman that I work with that doesn’t like me anymore.  When I first started at my job 4 years ago, we got along fine and were even known to joke around with each other.  Circumstances happened and I spilled a little too much information about my personal life with the rest of the office staff.  *Lesson One*.  Everyone else seemed to take it in stride, but this one woman had VERY! STRONG! FEELINGS! about my life and what I should and shouldn’t do.  I didn’t take her advice, though I appreciated her concern.  One day she even pulled up a chair right next to me and had a serious talk with me about how she cared about me and that’s why she was offering up her concern.  As I said, I did not take her advice on what to do with my life and actually learned from Lesson One and stopped talking about my personal life at work.  My other officemates seemed fine but this woman stopped talking to me in all but the blandest, most office friendly way.  No more joking around, no more gathering around the cubicle to chat.  She goes out of her way to avoid me.

And it bothers the hell out of me!  I can’t STAND it when people don’t like me, and immediately start judging myself.  I try hard to do everything and anything that could change that person’s opinion of me.  I ask the woman questions about her family, say witty things, try and join the gang at her cubicle…nothin’.  I am just ITCHING from the fact that she doesn’t seem to like me anymore.  I know that not everyone likes everyone else, but they should all like ME! 

*Lesson Two* I spend way too much time worrying about what other people think.  But I just want her to like me, really, really like me!!