AlliMonster Speaks

I went out today and purchased a piece of clothing that not only was grossly overpriced, but would only be worn for a couple of hours for one day this spring and never leave the closet again.

…Nope, I already got married, remember?  This was my graduation robe, cap, and hood for my Masters graduation ceremony, which is coming up in about a month.  Very much looking forward to it, even though technically I still have one more class to finish over the summer.

Those who know me best realize that I am a people-pleaser. This is the curse of the middle child, carried out into perpetuity in families with more than two children.  In school it was obvious pretty early on that I was a fairly bright student, and probably because I recognized that “with great power comes great responsibility” (with deference to Stan Lee), I decided that I had to work hard in all my classes and be the best I could be.

Now that I’m finishing school, I’m finding that my people-pleasing tendencies aren’t always the best thing for me.  I have stuck with jobs that I hated, just because I disliked disappointing or upsetting my boss (never mind those same bosses “forgot” my vacation days or scheduled mandatory weekend meetings on my birthday).  I have built up relationships with professors that drove me bonkers, which have led to far too many hours spent nodding away while they rambled on to me about their philosophy of teaching.  It’s the same thing that’s kept me from leaving the church music gig that, while it pays well, is really not doing anything for my spiritual health.

The quest for me, now that school is done, is to transition myself from a people-pleaser to a “me-pleaser”.  And part of that quest has been my job search.  I’ve refused to apply for just any old job, although I know that eventually if nothing turns up, I’ll need to take a less than perfect position, at least for a while.  I need to find a job that makes me happy.  I’ve invested enough in the happiness of others.

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This post is part of The Madhouse, a weekly group blogging assignment based on a common theme.  Kate over at One More Thing has been  fantastic about putting this together every week, so you should check it out!