Do You Stereotype Yourself?

Normally, I act in a particular way, which is usually very happy, easy going and generally nice I would say. As I have been sick the last week (I know I should rest but I had to utilise the weekend to its fullest), my behaviour has also been affected. The first day that I was sick, I was just plain tired and couldn't be bothered to do anything. Then, since I was unable to sleep for the next couple of nights, my mood was very bad.

I was an extreme grump at work for most of the week. There were moments when I would spark up when something interesting happened, but once I started sneezing and felt tired again, I was in no mood to talk or laugh like I usually do. My customary smile was totally non evident. Simple requests by others to do something would make me so irritable and I would be a grump and say no to most things.

I was asked many times to help go and find costumes for our annual dinner dance. Last year, I had taken control and organised the costumes. This year, I said that since my idea was not deemed suitable, I suggested someone else did it as I didn't really care. But during the week that I was sick, the group was so indecisive that everyone still kept coming back to ask me to basically make a decision. I wasn't in the mood to think about anything besides the work I HAD to do. So I got very angry and snapped at everyone. This week I'm much better so have decided to take control and organise everything again. I actually like organising things as I'M A POWER MANIAC muahahaha, no, seriously, I like the knowledge of doing things right.

However, the point I wanted to make was that sometimes by our own usual actions, we actually stereotype ourselves. Everyone expected me to take control of the situation and make the decisions because normally I do that. I'm usually happy to do that, but not when I was clearly sick and didn't want that responsibility. Also, normally I'm a generally good natured person, so everyone at work asked if I was under immense stress or something since I was biting everyone's heads off. I wasn't being a monster or anything by anyone's standards, but it was a change from my usual persona.

Since people expect me to act a certain way, anything out of the ordinary is generally a shock. I was a victim of my own niceness. I guess I should either display the other characteristics more often so its less of a shock when it does happen, or I need to control myself during times when I just don't feel like being nice. I prefer to choose the first option. I think at times I take things too easily rather than putting my foot down. It's something I am conscious of and have written about in the past, but it takes time to slowly change these things. I feel I am more confident nowadays and do put my foot down on many more occasions.

There are many aspects to everyone's personalities, but due to certain environments, usually you might only see one side of them, so you tend to stereotype that person. However, we all go through ups and downs and hence different personalities will come out. I think you just have to spot when someone is down and steer clear. I think I was extremely clear when I kept saying that "I'm sick and grumpy so stay away and stop bugging me". However, I guess my usual niceness just meant everyone thought I was joking or didn't mean it. I think now they will all thing otherwise. Mean Thanh will occasionally come out now. >-)