I’m taking a snake break and returning to some more of the things that help me enjoy this Gig on a Rig. Tip #3 – I recommend pleasant. I think pleasant is often wrongly thought of as being nicey-nice (fake) or placating.
Being pleasant isn’t an affect. Pleasant is an attitude. If you’re not sold on the synonyms, take a look at the antonyms!
| Synonyms: | affable, agreeable, amiable, amusing, charming, cheerful, civil, civilized, congenial, cordial, delightful, diplomatic, enchanting, engaging, enjoyable, fine, fun, genial, good-humored, gracious, kindly, likable, lovely, mild, nice, polite, refreshing, social, sweet, sympathetic, urbane, welcome |
| Antonyms: | bothersome, disagreeable, hateful, nasty, troubling, unacceptable, unfriendly, unhappy, unpleasant, |
I spent almost all of my professional life in a job where there weren’t any sick days or personal days. You couldn’t call in and cancel a seminar because you had the flu or a fight or a heartache.
For Heidi and I, most of our presentations were scheduled a year or more ahead. In the seminar business, you show up and you’re pleasant. Being pleasant was part of being a professional.
Being pleasant is also a way of saying I’m not the only person who matters here, you matter. And professionally or personally, I care how your contact with me affects your day.
I think I first learned this from Jimmy Stewart. I fell in love with Jimmy Stewart when I was 4 and he was 51. Really, I fell in love with George Bailey.
George Bailey, I’m going to love you ’til the day I die. ~ It’s a Wonderful Life
Jimmy Stewart’s portrayal of George Baily earned him the number 9 spot on the American Film Institute’s list of the 50 greatest screen heroes. You can click on to their interesting link here:AFI’s 100 Years… 100 Heroes and Villains. George Baily’s probably not what most folks today think of as a hero, but he was always number 1 on my Hero list.
However, it was another Jimmy Stewart character that convinced me of the value of being pleasant.
Years ago my mother said to me, ‘In this world, Elwood, you must be oh so smart or oh so pleasant.’ For years I was smart. I recommend pleasant. You may quote me. ~ Elwood P. Dowd
Harvey is my all time favorite movie, mostly because of Jimmy Stewart and the wonderful Josephine Hull. They didn’t just make me ‘see’ a giant Pooka named Harvey, they taught me early in life about the immense value of being pleasant.
Pleasant is a practice, not a feeling.
My last Gig on Rig tip was Be Happy. Maybe you aren’t. Sometimes life is so hard you can’t be. But being pleasant is always an option. Being pleasant isn’t circumstantial. Being pleasant is an action, not a reaction.
So in the words of the wonderful Elwood P. Dowd, I recommend pleasant.
I try,,,,,, I know I can …… smart post 🙂
Cuz –
It’s in the genes! 😉
Thank you so much for writing this post…it was something I needed to hear and internalize. With this new summer job we have I will be working with a lot of camphosts and aiming for being pleasant is something I am going to aim for every day. Thank you for being God’s messenger with this post.
Bobbie – You’re the picture of pleasant – it’s written all over your face! 😀
Enjoyed your post again today! I used to tell our daughter, you can catch more flies with honey, not vinegar! When she got her first teaching job (at the middle school she had gone to, btw) the principal (who had been there when she went to school there) told her there was only one thing she would have to change. That was: she smiled too much! Then he told her he was kidding! We were bee keepers, and one year had 3000 lbs of honey. Maybe that’s where I got that old saying? We have a tag on the front of our truck that reads “Bee Happy”. We try to Be Happy! Tom & Lynn
Lynn –
Wow! That’s a lot of bees!
I have no doubt that you and Tom spread happiness like honey! 😀
Clearly your daughter picked up your warm. pleasant style!
Debbie, I loved that you showed us ‘pleasant’ isn’t nicey-nice or something fake. 🙂 Thank you, dear friend! And thank you for all the ways you are pleasant on the job there and on blogs here! God bless you! -the other deb
dear ‘other deb’ (there are a lot of us aren’t there?)
I think many people are quite afraid of being taken advantage of or of being thought of as somehow weak.
The strongest people I know are also the most pleasant.
I’ve learned to never under-estimate the power of pleasantness!
(your presence is ALWAYS pleasant!)
Good Morning
And you are, my friend, pleasant, a soul-seacher, a thought-provoker and Word of God provider
God Bless
Well Susie –
You’ve made my day – and hopefully I’ve redeemed myself for the tortuous snake post!
You have! I just raced to the bottom
God Bless
My father-in-law showed me Harvey and It’s a Wonderful Life and I loved both films, but what I loved best was that he taught me through his actions that it is better to be pleasant. He is the man I’ve most admired in my life, kindness is a powerful attractor. I want to thank you for reminding me that being pleasant is my power and my choice! Love your work!
Sherrie –
What a gift to have the man that introduced you to George and Elwood, but a such a wonderful real life example!
You are ever kind, my friend. Clearly his example left it’s imprint!
I love Jimmy Stewart and George Baily and Harvey the invisible rabbit. This post also reminds me of To Kill A Mockingbird, Adicus (sp). He was a pleasant guy AND smart. XO mel
WE try very hard to be pleasant and always smile with 2 rigs and 2 frac job in our gate. A lot of the men expect you to know their names after they come in a couple of times. The Pleasant ones you make sure you can call them by their names. Enjoy your blogs Debbie.
Oh Linley –
Really? 2 rigs and 2 fracs! You and John always seem to get the tough assignments! I guess they know you two can do it and do it well!!
I’m not sure I’d be pleasant with that much traffic!
I don’t think the people realize that we sometimes see hundreds of guys a day (pretty easy to remember the women since there aren’t that many).
It’s easier for us because we’ve always followed a rig so we get to know the regular sales reps and pushers etc… but drivers that only come once or twice a month kind of blur in my mind.
You’re right, though, the pleasant ones stand out! 😀
Being pleasant can even real brighten some ones day’s espically if they are having a bad one, making them more pleasant. 🙂
Casey –
How fun to see you here!
You’re completely right! Many people brighten my day (or in my case – and yours my nights) with their smiles!!!
Their pleasantness rubs off on me. 😀
And that’s just what I have thought (and think) you are….pleasant, amicable, philosophical, agreeable, even kind. Admirable qualities that I just don’t encounter so much anymore.
Gosh Sharan –
I hope, if we ever meet in person, I don’t turn out to be a disappointment!
Thank you for your very kind words.:D
I love pleasant!!
Jill –
You are the queen of pleasant in my book!!!
This was a great post Deb and oh so important in a society that too often forgets pleasant.
Thanks, Jel!
When H and I used to do seminars, one of the things we asked groups was “What is the first thing you notice about someone?” – 95 out of 100 people would say: “Their smile!” and of those 95, 20 would do everything possible not to smile all day! We could usually win them over, but you know how it goes when you’re standing up front! 😀