Perception = Reality?

Today a colleague broke-down crying. I wasn't sure what I could do to help her; I felt really awful. I never do well settings like that. Work and her personal life are very complicated right now. I tried my best to comfort her and listen. I feel like I reassured her some.

Unfortunately, I also learned about some drama occurring between colleagues at work. I never like knowing the drama--it just complicates work much more than it already is. Even though I'm not in the middle of it, I am aware of it and it influences my opinion of my surroundings.

One's perception can be their reality. Yesterday, I attended a retreat that discussed humor in the workplace. Unfortunately, the discussion--in its entirety--fell flat. While the topic was very helpful, the presentation seemed somewhat juvenile. It also lacked inclusiveness--part of the point of the retreat was to help us all get to know each other, and this retreat was not successful in accomplishing this. However, I did like the advice and still had a wonderful time.

On a positive note, I'm planning this kicking volunteer recognition ceremony. I'm very excited because I think it is going to be really great. It's somewhat tough because I have a small budget, but I'm not too worried--I'm a queen of bargain shopping.