One of the things I worry about the most happened to me!!! I made a terrible ---- M I S T A K E !!!!!WOW IT WAS REAL HARD NOT TO COMPLETELY FREAK OUT AND RUN AWAY!!!!! CIRCUMSTANCES: I HAD HAD A LONG BUT GOOD DAY, it was evening and I had to go out and do an errand even though I was very tired and it would have been better if i had stayed in.I should of done this errand earlier in the week but I had put it off and now found myself in a position where I felt I had no choice. One of the children I had taken care of for years was leaving the childcare and was expecting a gift from me.BACKGROUND: I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN TERRIFIED OF MAKING MISTAKES MOSTLY BECAUSE MY TERROR OF NEGATIVE JUDGMENT AND ENDURING PEOPLE'S CRITICISM, REJECTION AND PUNISHMENT. THEREFORE I HAVE GONE BEYOND WHAT IS NORMAL TO NOT MAKE MISTAKES AND PLEASE PEOPLE. THE TIMES I HAVE MADE MISTAKES AND THE CONSEQUENCES HAVE OCCURRED HAVE BEEN VERY PAINFUL FOR ME AND I HAVE NEVER FORGOTTEN THEM.THE TERRIBLE OCCURRENCE:I was shopping at Shopper's Drug mart, when I decided to pick up a heavy picture frame from the narrow shelf it was sitting on. All of a sudden a neighbouring picture frame came crashing to the floor and shattered into a million pieces. NEEDLESS TO SAY I WAS MORTIFIED AND COULD OFF FAINTED DEAD AWAY ONTO THE FLOOR OR HAD A HEART ATTACK-- I WAS PETRIFIED!!!!!!I REALLY WANTED TO RUN FAR AWAY FROM THERE!!!! BUT AT THE SAME TIME I WAS FEELING AND THINKING ALL THIS, MY RATIONAL SIDE WAS SAYING, STAY WHERE YOU ARE YOU NEED TO FACE THIS. THIS SIDE WON OUT AND WHEN THE MANGER CAME AROUND I EXPLAIN TO HER WHAT HAD HAPPENED AND APOLOGIZED. HER REACTION WAS "THAT'S ALL THAT HAPPENED?" SHE SAIDTHIS WITH HEAVY SARCASM IN HER VOICE. I SAID YES AND I AM SORRY AND SORT OF SLITHERED AWAY. AT THAT POINT I FELT LIKE GETTING OUT OF THERE BUT I DECIDED THAT I SHOULD BUY SOMETHING AFTER WHAT HAPPENED, AND I REMINDED MYSELF THAT I HAD NOTHING TO BE ASHAMED OF AND SHOULD STAND UP FOR MYSELF, BECAUSE I NEED TO START ACTING AND BEHAVING IN A NEW WAY. LATER I AVOIDED HER CHECKOUT EVEN THOUGH SHE WAS SAYING THAT THE NEXT PERSON IN LINE SHOULD COME TO HER, THIS SEEMED TO MAKE HER MORE ANGRY AND I OBSERVED AND HEARD HER SAYING THINGS UNDER HER BREATH. I TOLD MYSELF THAT I WAS TOO EMBARRASSED TO FACE HER RIGHT NOW AND I DID NOT HAVE TO FACE HER!!!The whole incident shook me up but I think I handled myself well. I have been repeating to myself that we all make mistakes sometimes, as long as we bravely take responsibility for them and face the consequences with dignity!!!AND LIFE GOES ON!!!!!!!
Replies
Wow! I was right there with you during this story. Fear of negative judgment is called shyness. I\'m really proud of you for not running away. I call this event a right of passage, and you passed brilliantly. Next time, in a similar situation, youll be able to go to that open cash register and stand your ground even more. Have a good weekend, Oli
Honey... what can I say to make you believe that most people would feel terrible for you that that happened to you, including the store clerk. Please remember, these are everyday kind of occurences for them although they are not to you. As for her anger, trust me... she was having a bad day and was not angry at you but rather at something else. Keep in mind, that it is Shoppers that takes the loss and it doesn\'t come out of anyone\'s pocket.
Oh, I so know how you feel, for I am exactly the same way, and for the same reasons. I am so proud of how you handled it. Well done! I love you. Sometime when I can, I will tell you a time I made such a horrible mistake, that I was so mortified I simply fled.
That is amazing entry! thank you Ida, for sharing. it was like, i was there right!
big *hugs*
i want to let you know, i am very proud of you for the way you handled the situation. many people, in that situation, would run. You stuck with it, and didn\'t let the fear overcome you. god bless, you\'re an inspiration. :)
no one is perfect, and it was an honest mistake. We all learn from them, and it\'s alright hun, everything is fine. i wish i could give you a big HUG. oh my! You deserve big hug after that. this reminds me of my candy aisle cart accident in the local walmart. We can relate.
hi ida...awesome job today in dealin with your \"mistake\"....i actually have a mistake policy...i have a lot of similar feelings about making mistakes...u did very well! please take good care of yourself and yours! BIG peace to you!
Meg
It was an accident! But I know how you feel cause I\'m the same way. No matter what, I think I\'m to blame. You did what you needed to do to protect yourself..you had NO obligation to face that woman again. You had the right to CHOOSE, and you chose to stay away from her..Good for you!!:)
You handelled yourself well. Dont feel bad about what happened. The manager sounds like a jerk. When things are on the shelf it is called \"invitation to treat\" and breaking things can naturally occur, and are not the fault of the customer. The manager should have handelled things better- she is obviously not meant to be in customer service. If I were the manager I would have ensured that you left *not* feeling bad and awkward.
It is just great that you stayed and explained what happened.
i was like dont move its not your fault! when i was young and working in my parents gift shop i was dusting a shelf up high and i dropped something and every thing broke down below i freaked out. i was so afraid i would get in trouble but my mom was just worried that i was ok. the manager should have been worried about you getting cut by the glass! we cannot judge the manager because we dont know whats going on in her life, we can hope she does not act like this to people all the time. i would call her boss to see if this is just an isolated incedent. if not she does not belong in cs.
you did great! i would not have gone to her line bad karma~
Exactly the same incident could be seen in a totally different light. After the glass smashed on the floor, you could have yelled at the manager: \"Look how these things are stacked! It\'s a disgrace! I could have been hurt!\" I bet then you\'d be getting humble apologies and they would be afraid that you\'s take it further, legally. You defined the situation as \'my fault\' and I think people are quick to pick up on how you feel and exploit it. I\'m the same, but sometimes I suddenly realise that a lot of these things are not my fault at all!
I have shyness too and about things like that happening, so much sound advice from everyone above, you stood your ground and explained instead of running away- and the manager sounds like she was having a bad day, I especially liked the advice of Tarser, a lot of it comes down to asertiveness, I cannot assert myself very well although I do try, sometimes I say \'sorry\' to someone if they acidentally stand on my foot or push me and I know it should be the other way around!