Personal Essay: How Adversity Has Changed My Life

Suppose you were beckoned into your supervisor's office one Friday afternoon. Your boss regrettably informs you that due to economic downturn your position has been eliminated. You have been laid off. How are you going to react to that? Personally I would be quite upset, but depending on the person and the situation the reaction might be very different. In times of adversity I find myself behaving in many different ways. While comparing my life to the story, it seems that I am, at times, in the position of the carrot, egg and the coffee bean. Sometimes I am a carrot because when things hurt me I get quiet and soft. I don’t say very much and I keep my distance from whatever it is that has affected me negatively. For example, while hostessing at my current job some of the waitresses do not agree with the decisions I make concerning their placement and workload. They rudely confront me about it on a daily basis so I try to keep my distance from those certain people and let it roll off my back. For some reason it tears me up when people get upset with me. I feel like I have let them down. I become very emotional and the littlest things can make me burst into tears. When I am like the egg I seem to become snappy and rude. I do not cry and I hardly speak to anyone. This happens more commonly …show more content…
I try to be positive at all times, especially around other people. When my close friends or family are going through a difficult time I feel like I should be the most positive person in the room. I try to spread my good vibes. I have found that staying happy in a sad or upsetting time can help you and the person facing the adversity. For example, a few years ago my sister’s dog wandered into the road and lost his life. At that time I felt like it was my job as a sister to be as supportive and as encouraging as I could be. I tried to keep conversations light and upbeat and make her laugh when I