We’ve reached the other side of the festive season – and while those of us who had to work breathe a collective sigh of relief that it’s over for another year, I like to take stock.
Every year at the start of the season – as I brace myself to face the inevitable onslaught of vomiting pets, dog fights, snake bites, accidental poisonings, and all other manner of malfunction and malaise – it often seems to me the rest of the world is winding down to frolic on the beach and relax with friends and family (yes, here in Australia we frolic on beaches at Christmas – you should come over).
My first reaction to this was always one of near-crippling self-pity – “Why should I have to work while everyone else is out enjoying themselves!?” – and I’ve had to work very hard over the years on changing the narrative from “poor old me” to a more positive one.
Counting the positives
Here’s how I see things these days (this is not just an exercise in “silver linings”, but a genuine reframe of what is my reality):
Heroic
Whether it’s Christmas, new year or any other public holiday, these are the times I have the opportunity to be at my most useful and have my biggest impact. For the rest of the year, I’m like hundreds of other businesses – but this time of the year I get to be a hero.
I see it in the attitudes of our clients – at any other time of the year, people are usually somewhere between mildly annoyed and outright angry at having to use the services of an emergency vet. But not at Christmas – the vast majority of our clients seem genuinely relieved and grateful that we’re there to help them, and it’s very, very nice to feel appreciated.
Faith in humanity
I take huge inspiration from my co-workers. On public holidays I look around me at work, and find I’m surrounded by colleagues who – like emergency workers from all fields of life – are diligently and, for the most part, smilingly making sacrifices to make the world a little bit better for someone or something else.
My faith in humanity hits an all-time high during this time of the year, despite the crazies who inevitably crawl out of the woodwork during the holiday season.
No pressure
I have zero pressure to attend a family or social event that I don’t want to. A response of “sorry, I have to work” not only lets you off the hook consequence-free, but is usually met with “you poor thing, have some food.”
Post-Christmas frolic
My final motivator is a bit less enlightened: I take great comfort in knowing that when the rest of the lemmings start trudging back to the reality of their working lives, I’ll be taking a well-deserved break – when I can frolic on the beach without having to deal with all the crowds and madness they all had to deal with.
Be proud
If you are one of the many people who have sacrificed time with family and friends over the preceding month to make sure your clients are able to care for their animals, then allow me to say thank you. You should be proud of yourself.
I know I am.
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