Another Awkward Moment Identified

via GIPHY

Today at work we had a series of inservices.  I wasn't the earliest one to get there so my seat turned out to be in front.  When am I gonna learn to come early?  The first two sessions were quick and informative.  The third session was given my a motivational speaker who has a life coaching business on the side.  I believe she also has attention deficient disorder, hyperactivity, or else maybe she took something that is possibly not legal this morning.  I don't know.  She talked fast and she talked loud. Before the meeting started she approached me and asked me how long the session should last.  I didn't respond quick enough so she offered "15 minutes?  30 minutes?  90 minutes?  Three hours?"  Well, she asked me.  I quickly said 15 minutes before her options got any longer.  She laughed and asked if it would be ok if she just talked fast enough so it seemed like 15 minutes.  Again. She asked me.  I wasn't trying to please her.  I just gave her the honest truth.  I would not offer it unsolicited. I said it would be best if she kept it to 15 minutes.  I truly didn't know we were paying her for 90 minutes.  She laughed and moved away.  But she paid me back later.  An hour later she was talking about how we pay more attention to negative words than positive words.  She was encouraging us to make a positive impact on the world. She walked right up to me, bent over, put her hand on my shoulder, got in my face and said, "Sue."  How did she know my name?  I don't know.  But she went on, "I think you are a lovely person.  I appreciate all the hard work that you do.  You are very special and you make a huge positive impact on the world.  I know you don't hear it enough but thank you, thank YOU Sue, for all that you do.  I notice how great that you are and I want you to know that I see you and I acknowledge your work.  Keep up the good work."  I respond, "Uhhhh, this is awkward."  That was the extent of my social graces - uhhhh, this is awkward.  Then she goes on!  She puts her hand back on my shoulder and says, "Yes, I know this is awkward for you but that is because we don't take enough time out of our day to recognize the truly wonderful people we have in our lives.  We need to recognize the goodness in each other and tell others how truly wonderful they are."  Her eyes were like 8 inches from my eyes.  She was very much invading my personal bubble. By this time I learned my lesson.  I wasn't saying another word to this motivational speaker, who, by the way, just happened to have many copies of the three life coaching books she wrote for sale on the table.  The thing is, she can't tell by the clothes I wear or the smile on my face if I didn't murder someone this weekend and just haven't been caught yet.  After the meeting five people approached me about it and told me how bad they felt for me but were still glad she did it to me and not them.  LOL!  What I took away is that if your compliment isn't sincere it's not worth saying.  And don't invade people's bubbles!