Learn to Laugh

Learning to laugh at yourself is a crucial part of being a happy individual in my opinion. Sometimes we screw up, and the best way to handle it is to just  realize that it is funny, apologize if appropriate, and move on. I was driving the other day and I remembered a time like this that happened not too long ago. It was about three or four years ago, and I had just opened my business Gypsy Massage. I had an office in Speedway, my first office, and times were tight financially.  Unfortunately, part of my lease said that I had to have a sign made for out front- on the board where the other offices had their names listed. I didn’t have a lot of money and the landlord had given me the information to get the sign made by a specific company that he used, but it was pretty expensive, almost $500!  At the time that was a ton of money to me, and in fairness no where in the lease did it state I had to use his company, so I decided to get creative. I got a piece of board and had it cut the right size…then I got stencils and painted the sign myself, and when I was done with it I must admit, I thought it was quite masterful. It was colorful and Whimsical and I really thought I had done an excellent job. I tried to get ahold of the landlord to get it put up but had trouble reaching him. So one day I just took it upon myself and put it up. I stood back and looked at my handiwork and felt a real sense of pride.  I was so proud of it I even took pictures to show people- heck, even thought I had come up with an idea for a side hustle. The landlord however was not impressed. While I couldn’t get ahold of him to get the sign hung, once I did get it hung he was pretty prompt with his response, and his response was that I needed to take that horrendous sign down and get one professionally made. My feelings were quite hurt and I thought he didn’t know what he’s talking about and was just asshurt because I didn’t use the company he had recommended. I explained I didn’t have the money to get the sign made by his sign company, and he told me he didn’t care who made it but it had to be a professional sign. Well- the fates were on my side… one of my clients happen to make signs and after I explained my dilemma he offered to make me a sign-  a professional sign nonetheless. So, a couple days later, my client brought me the new sign and I loved it! It was still on wood, but it was professionally done- with stencils and all- and all  in one color so it didn’t look too whimsical. Well, I thought the landlord would like it, and more importantly, I felt like I had outsmarted the landlord because I got a professionally made sign without using his stupid company. Feeling rather smug and proud of myself I got the new sign hung, took a picture and emailed it to him and said “Now are you happy?”” I was really enjoying the picture in my head of him sitting in his office stewing that I had got my way by getting a professionally made sign without using his company. Imagine my surprise when he called me just moments later and said, “No, it’s worse, you spelled Gypsy wrong.” Hehe…I looked again and hell if he wasn’t right. There’s definitely some truth to that whole thing that our brain only has to see the first couple letters and the last letter of a word to know what it says, because as I looked at it I realized it said “Gyspy Massage.” And I started laughing- not just a giggle, but full on belly aching, tears running down my face laughing, and I couldn’t stop. He finally just hung up on me because I couldn’t catch my breath. Here I thought I had showed him, and instead I just looked like an asshole. Eventually I calmed down and called him up and apologized, and asked him if I could please have the information for his sign guy again. Point is, I could have made the situation far worse by being embarrassed, got mad at my client who apparently can’t spell very well and felt humiliated. Instead, I got a good laugh and a good story. Many people take life way too seriously, and I say life’s too short for that. Having spent 14 years as an ER nurse I know all too well how unexpectedly and tragically life can be taken away from us. So the next time you make an ass of yourself just take it with a grain of salt, have a good laugh, apologize if warranted and grow from it. That’s all I have for today so until next time- peace out.