When life give you lemons...

Hello. You don't know me, but that's okay. I may never know you, and that's okay too. There's more people on this planet who don't know you exist than people who don't like you. But that doesn't mean you shouldn't care. Chances are the people who don't like you, are the people that should, like family, friends, coworkers, neighbors, and people who should like you, but don't. That person you like, but they don't seem to like you back? It's probably because they don't or aren't sure yet and that's okay. Most importantly, you can't make someone like you even when they should, especially family members. Because that is their problem, and if they don't want to change, that is all on them and you have nothing to do with their thoughts or emotions. People suck sometimes, especially those who don't care.

Toxic positivity has a role in challenging peoples' thoughts and feelings about certain subjects, but mainly other people. What makes this positivity so toxic is how we are expected by those who don't like us, to give them a reason for them to change their mind. Toxic positivity, or T.P., is the notion that as humans we must be happy no matter our circumstances or events that would make us unhappy. To put it as, "Looking on the bright-side." A lot of people know the problematic ideology of T.P. As a woman trying to live her own independent life, we are expected to have perpetual happiness that should not and cannot change as we may be seen as "too emotional", "too rough around the edges," or "too much of a..." you know what I mean.

For the last couple of years, I have worked in the minimum wage customer service industry and the stakes are high for women to be on their "best behavior". To be kind to all of the customers, no matter how many curse words or items they just threw at you. The title of customer service is one that many people are often forced to take, especially in their first years of working. Many privileged individuals will never understand how humbling it is to feel empathy to those in the customer service industry. Some believe they are too good for these jobs and will piggyback off of those until they find a job that will pay more and have greater benefits than minimum wage jobs.

But what is wrong with putting in the time, effort, and patience to work in a field that is better than a minimum wage job? Nothing. There is nothing wrong with not wanting to work at a place that won't give you joy or the money that you feel entitled to. The problem is the people who have never worked these minimum wage jobs tend to treat workers with little respect and think they are greater than these workers, who many had no other choice but to have that job.

The classic "Karen" is the perfect example of these kind of people I am talking about. Any man or woman is capable of being this kind of person. "The customer is always right!", they scream that the worker trying to hold back their tears and other customers are taking a video of the irate person. Then the manager steps in to try and deescalate by offering a discount or some option to appease the customer. After all is done, the manager has the audacity to tell you to, "Handle it better next time.", or "Try to be nicer to the customers." This is the constant life of a minimum wage worker until they find a job that is focused towards their goals in life, or that the worker has finally had enough and quits.

In an industry where not many customers are nice to you, then do you understand the meaning and implication of T.P. How is anyone suppose to be nice to people who actively disrespects the workers? No one deserves that kind of treatment, it is oppressing. To add injury to insult, often times the manager, or person in higher power, will somehow say it was your fault for letting the customer act out as a child throwing a tantrum. "You got the order wrong." "You took too long." "You weren't being considerate." "You were being too rude." "You need to be nicer." "You did this wrong and now you are less valued as a worker and as a person. You are lucky that I didn't fire you for this, because it was your fault." No, chances are it wasn't your fault.

Welcome to the harsh and unrelenting truth of working in a minimum wage customer service job. You are not a human to society's eyes, you are a machine. To those who have never even been close to being in your shoes, that's all they see you as, equal to a machine. As for someone who has been in your shoes and still in those shoes, you are not a machine. You are a person who deserves to feel and express yourself when you are put into a corner by a person who is upset because of a mistake you made. You are someone who is trying their best and trying to make ends meet for those around you that rely on you and love you for who you are. Because to them you are not a machine, you are a mother, father, sister, brother, uncle, aunt, grandma, grandpa, best friend, and a human who they so appreciate the sacrifice you make everyday to help yourself and them.

You are not perfect, and that's okay. You are not suppose to make everyone happy, and that's okay. You are allowed to express yourself when there is injustice to yourself or others. You are suppose to be heard and listen to because you are not a silent machine. You are a human, and to those who show you love, they know that too. Never take those who truly love you for granted, because that is the real positivity we need in our life.

Thank you for reading this piece. Please give some constructive criticisms or comments.