By Paola Bassanese
In this short “essay” I just wanted to share an episode of my working life which I am not very proud of.
I listen to people. That’s my job. I listen, I ask relevant questions, but most importantly I shut up. That’s because I am paid to massage people, not to offer idle chit chat.
I am ashamed to reveal that on one occasion, as a client was telling me about his glamorous lifestyle and travels, I confessed I had lifestyle envy. I was quickly and firmly rebuked by my client saying that envying somebody else’s life is meaningless; we are all on our own very personal journey. With each reward comes the struggle before it. Only because someone goes on a tropical holiday in a five star resort doesn’t mean that they haven’t worked hard for it and made sacrifices. And even if they didn’t, and everything was given on a plate to them, it is your responsibility to make your life what you want it to be.
After feeling a bit put in a corner and in need to redeem myself, I made a silent promise never to look up (or down) to people and wish my life was more like theirs. We are all in this together.